The Norwegian kings of Glam Rock Wig Wam return with their sixth album, two years after ‘Never Say Die’, their comeback release following a five-year hiatus. The rejuvenated band have also benefitted from having their classic track ‘Do You Wanna Taste It’ (from the ‘Non Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll’ album) used as the opening theme song for the HBO TV series ‘Peacemaker’, ensuring renewed interest in the quartet which has led to them planning tours of the USA and Australia.
‘Out Of The Dark’ picks up where ‘Never Say Die’ left off, continuing in the same vein; slightly heavier than the Wig Wam of old, more mature and certainly less “Glam” – something that admittedly had already started happening with the band before they split up in 2014. If pushed, I would say I still prefer the earlier, more tongue- in-cheek and off-the-wall OTT Glam Rock-orientated Wig Wam that produced such classics as ‘Hard To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roller’ and ‘Bless The Night’ than the slightly toned-down image and heavier Hard Rock style they pursue currently, but they’re a band that I’ve always been extremely fond of, ever since I first clapped eyes on them when they represented Norway at 2005’s Eurovision Song Contest with the glorious ‘In My Dreams’. But while the likes of the first two singles ‘Out Of The Dark’ and ‘High N Dry’ and elsewhere ‘The American Dream’ and ‘Ghosting You’ represent the more modern and matured Wig Wam, ‘Bad Luck Chuck’ and ‘Uppercut Shazam’ indicates their quirky side can still occasionally bubble to the surface, and they all still have those great choruses. The Celtic-influenced ‘Forevermore’ (reminiscent of some songs singer Åge Sten Nilsen (or Glam to give him his correct title!) did with Ammunition), the Eastern-tinged ‘Sailor And The Desert Sun’ and the power ballad ‘The Purpose’ appropriately demonstrate their more sophisticated side, while guitarist Trond Holter (Teeny) exhibits wonderful Gary Moore-esque stylings on the instrumental ‘79’, and also takes lead vocals on the Heavy Metal-ish ‘God By Your Side’. ‘Out Of The Dark’ might not quite be a ‘Wig Wamania’, but it’s a belter nevertheless and conveniently timed to take advantage of the revived interest in the band; all we need now is a UK tour!
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