Wheel – Charismatic Leaders
Wheel – Charismatic Leaders
Inside Out Music
Release Date: 03/05/24
Running Time: 47:18
Review by Paul Hutchings
10/10
I’ve been following Wheel since their formation in 2015. Two spectacular albums, 2019’s “Moving Backwards” and 2021’s “Resident Human” cemented my admiration. Live, they are spectacular, a real tour de force. They’ve been labelled as a cross between Tool and Coheed & Cambria, but to my mind, they’ve managed to establish a sound that is uniquely theirs.
They are meticulous in their art, crafting thought provoking songs, hewn from the progressive rock and metal landscape of half-a-century. Third album “Charismatic Leaders” sees them define their music still further, with a mix of short and long songs in what is their most complex and heavy release to date. Their trademark angular riffage is present from the start, on the power of opening track ‘Empire’. A rage against the oligarchy of Rupert Murdoch, it’s a passionate statement that immediately tells you that this isn’t a record singing about rainbows and dragons.
With songs that date back as far as 2020, “Charismatic Leaders” has been brewing. Fuelled by the change in the direction of politics across the globe, Singer /guitarist /writer James Lascelles leads from the front, his vocals a combination of smooth rich calm and malevolent rage. He describes his thoughts on the album here. “Normally, ‘charismatic leader’ is a term used to describe the leader of a cult. I think the meaning is changing, considering how we’ve seen politics evolve over the past ten years. It seems to be less and less about policy; it’s more and more about these cults of personality, like we’ve seen with Boris Johnson and Donald Trump. I started seeing these people everywhere and thought, ‘There’s probably enough information here to do an album’”.
Although the album only contains seven songs, there are some weighty pieces here to grapple with. The slow brooding smoulder of ‘Porcelain’ provides the time to dive in deep and absorb the layers and magical delivery. It rarely looses intensity, regardless of tempo. The inevitable central pillar of ‘Submission’ is an epic, a sprawling yet tightly coiled song just shy of 11-minutes. Ample riffs demonstrate the heavier direction that the band are moving towards, something Lascelles is happy to confirm. “For the people who like metal and are into Wheel music, this is the one for them. It’s not like we’ve become a caricature of the previous albums, but we’ve moved in a more metal direction, and we wanted to make a metal album”.
Just like Moving Backwards and Resident Human, the songs are complex, intricate, well-thought out and dynamic. Polished to a high sheen with a fine production and mix, there is nothing to dislike here. With sobering subject matter linking the songs, the themes suggest almost suggest a concept piece although it’s not that in the true sense. The conclusion is ‘The Freeze’, another ten-minute plus song that is drenched in an atmosphere that builds with a majestic and dramatic approach. Contemplating the paralysis that we feel as atrocities occur thousands of miles away, it’s a thought-provoking piece with which to end.
“Charismatic Leaders” continues the high-quality output that began a mere five years ago. With a tour to come later in the year, alongside support slots across the globe, it’s looking like Wheel will take another step towards achieving the recognition they deserve.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Empire
02. Porcelain
03. Submission
04. Saboteur
05. Disciple
06. Caught in the Afterglow
07. The Freeze
LINE-UP:
James Lascelles – Vocals, Guitar
Jussi Turunen – Guitars
Santeri Saksala – Drums
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Paul Hutchings and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
