A couple years ago we featured 4-piece from New York WICKED, a young band with musicians in their twenties and an endless love for ’80s-style melodic hard rock / hair metal. Now the guys are back with now album entitled “Sunburn“. Yeah, judge the album by its cover, the music is fun, rocking, and very entertaining.
Currently supporting Raven and Vicious Rumors for a series of shows on their ‘It’s Summer Somewhere Tour’, these guys live and breathe the rock ‘n roll lifestyle every day, all sharing the same house, and have put in hard work for over half a decade – a true dedication to their craft. Pursuing music at that level takes a lot of commitment and perseverance, proving they are a tight-knit gang fueled by passion and determination.
For this new album added a touch of modernity but still with melody, something similar to Harem Sacrem, Waltham, 7th Heaven, etc. Songs like “Gorgeous,” “Outlaw,” and “Summer and Sun” resonate on multiple levels, from the energy to the riffs to their style and melodies.
It takes a combination of talent, creativity, and magic to pull that off, which is evident with Wicked. Their synergy translates into delivering electrifying performances that deeply connect with you.
“Seal It With A Kiss” leans into the traditional Hair Metal vibe with Chad Michael showing his impressive range over a solid rhythm section. Somehow this track bring to mind Canadianmelodic hard rockers Brighton Rock.
“Nightmare” and “Lost in the Dark” are really showpieces for Scotty V on guitar, a great mixture of riffs and solos. “Cali” is a playful piece with solid vocals and great rhythm by Daniel Martin with a heavy driving bass and Gunner’s strong drum work.
The band worked ten time Grammy Winner Nacho Molino to produce the album and it was time well spent. As you get deeper into the record, tracks like “My Little Rock n Roll” and “Dude” are solid while lacking some of the hooks of the earlier tracks.
One of my favorites on the album is “Get Away with Enough” which has some great time changes and Chad really leaning into his vocal range. The album finishes up with “Summer and Sun” a melodic tune with some great blues guitar work. I had hoped for a classic 80s Power Ballad but alas it was not to be, maybe on the next album.
Wicked are what rock ‘n roll should be especially for this new generation. In a world filled with auto-tune pop singers, American Idol and The Voice, Wicked offers you something none of the others do, a fresh perspective on a classic feel.
”Sunburn” is fun and solid effort that really deserves to get some attention.
Highly Recommended
1 Sunburn
2 Seal It With A Kiss
3 Gorgeous
4 Nightmare
5 Lost In The Dark
6 Cali
7 My Little Rock N Roll
8 Dude
9 Outlaw
10 Get Away With Enough
11 Summer & Sun
Wicked – Living Like A Sunburn 2024
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