WIG WAM – Never Say Die (Album Review)

Return

Norwegian glam metallers Wig Wam blast back onto the scene following their reformation in 2019 with a great new album Never Say Die.

With their last album being 2012’s Wall Street you would expect a few changes to have happened in the intervening 11 years, but you’d be wrong.

Wig Wam’s style is very much entrenched in their DNA. Catchy riffs, quality solos and rousing singalong choruses are, and were always, the foundations on which this band was built.

Eurovision

They first came to the attention of the masses by representing Norway in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest. Although they finished ninth they still had a hit with the song they performed, “In My Dreams”. Being in the competition proves to be a double-edged sword, however. Bands who enter that competition, especially rock or metal bands, tend not to be taken seriously. Take Lordi as another example.

Still, they battled on producing five albums until 2014 when they decided to call it quits. 

The captain of the Wig Wam ship, Age Sten Nilson still continued to put out similar tunes under the guise of Ammunition where the vocalist created some great moments.

So here we are once more with the band reuniting and producing a glam metal winner.

Joining Nilson are Trond Holter (guitarist who penned their biggest hit, “In My Dreams”), Bernt Jansen (bass) and Oystein Andersen (drums). They do have alternative nicknames such as Sporty and Flash but they just make them sound like a cut-price Spice Girls.

Pic courtesy Runar Jansen/Facebook

As for Never Say Die it is a fine collection of toe-tapping, head-nodding, air guitar rompers.

Gang choruses were always a favourite and this album is no exception. This is evidenced none more so than on the title track.

Improvement

Despite a strong start with the title track the album does actually improve as it goes on. Side two definitely has the stronger tracks such as the emotional “Kaleidoscope Arms”, instrumental “Northbound” and bluesy “Hard Love”. The big finish comes with “Silver Lining” which is a beautiful heartfelt track with some wonderful extended guitar work.

It’s an absolute pleasure to have Wig Wam back and Never Say Die is a must.

The album is out now on Frontiers Records.

BUY: AMAZON.com / AMAZON.ca / AMAZON.co.uk

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Sparky.

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