To have a band nowadays that sounds as good as their branding looks is a truly rare thing. I mean this wholeheartedly, with the same viscosity and melting clown confusion the first two songs on All That Should Have Been Declare so brilliantly. It’s no wonder they aren’t releasing the entire album until mid-2024… these fuckers know its worth the wait, no matter how restful and weary fans eyes (and ears) might be for more beautifully crafted music.
The album’s latest single release was Control, hitting all digital platforms in late October. Give it a listen below for a slight preview of the slaughterhouse carnival madness these guys have been cooking up.
I hate going full “these guys are Tenacious D meets Black Sabbath” but the comparison to both groups is twice as apt once you listen to the album opener. Maybe more Jack Black’s successful step into dramatic work is more in tune with what they are doing, nonetheless, this song is funny, dark, and scorchingly melodic, with boastful drama and hellfire supremacy.
The riffs are gorgeous, taking a mind of their own in way and almost becoming another character on this song (as well as a supporting cast member for the entire project). “I want your body, I want your soul” is nothing special in lyrical terms, but the infectious inflection from Seattle native Seth Micarelli is what makes this on par with DIO’s best work.
“I wrote the album to get out the story that had been trapped inside for years. It’s a story for all those who have struggled to make sense of their inner world and need the help of stories. It told the story of a child made to perform, unsure of who he is or was, and the journey through that madness and to the other side. It walks through all the phases a human has to go through to emerge from these dark places. It begins with the setting of the helplessness and total reliance of a baby and moves to what sense a child makes of a world where its needs are not met, the burdens taken on and the weight of those mind made manacles.“
There are seventeen songs on this operatic ballad heavy album, and despite my constant hatred of over bloated track lists, each song here is worth listening to. Of course, the context churning at the start of All That Should Have Been is detrimental to the overall meaning of this project, but Night Wilds, honest to Lucifer, have the same spirit Pink Floyd put together back when The Wall wasn’t just a brick in VH1 classic rock rotation.
These guys have made the kind of music that Green Day wishes they could have whenever they decided to try and mirror their own heroes (The Who), and what makes them twice as entertaining for me, is the sheer fact that this is the first release for these guys. They already are building up authentic hype from social media, and I pray to God they keep moving forward with with their brash authenticity. Sure, there are moment of “you know I’ve heard this before” but after all is said, my rock ‘n’ roll lovelies, isn’t that what made Led Zeppelin so damn good at what they did?
10/10… actually… 17/17 for me. Night Winds have restored my faith in a genre I once believed to be as dead as death could muster. A+ showmanship too. Go listen to all they have put out before they blow up… because hot damn next summer is there for them to claim.
