BAND – WHITE WIZZARD
ALBUM – INFERNAL OVERDRIVE
RELEASED – 2018
REVIEWED BY – CHARLES FLORIO
BAND MEMBERS –
Jon Leon
James J LaRue
Devin Lebsack
Wyatt “Screamin’ Demon” Anderson
FACEBOOK –   https://www.facebook.com/WhiteWizzard/

The year 2018 has brought us a new CD from the Los Angeles-based traditional metalheads White Wizzard. Being a fan of the band, and someone known to devour new music, I was certainly looking forward to hearing this. The band’s last release, The Devil’s Cut was released back in 2013, so after many listens they were long overdue for some new music as far as I am concerned.

So… what are we getting from White Wizzard in 2018? Fortunately, we get another enjoyable piece of Heavy Metal inspired by Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate, music that every fan of the aforementioned bands should enjoy. The CD begins with the song Infernal Overdrive, which is a great Painkiller inspired song that gets the blood flowing and kicks of the CD in a great fashion. The band’s use of melody really makes this an enjoyable listen. 

Storm The Shores was released as a video and single, and it’s a great song with excellent harmonies. The band looks to explore some progressive metal on this CD. The songs Cocoon and Cocoon II: Metamorphoses have many of these elements and are among the CDs particularly excellent moments.

The last track on the CD, The Illusion’s Tears, is a three-part song that is my personal favorite track of the entire release. Its many musical changes make it stand out even among the other quality tracks and is really enjoyable. In my opinion, lead singer Wyatt Anderson is the star of the CD.

Anderson delivers a great vocal performance throughout. Guitarists Jon Leon (the longstanding member of the band) and James J LaRue have put together some notable guitar work. (Note that James also played bass on the CD.) Drummer Dylan Marks ties it all together. The production is solid throughout, without the over-compressed feel that darkens some other otherwise stellar releases. All of the instruments are given plenty of room to breathe, which makes listening to the release even more enjoyable. This CD will, without a doubt, be on my year-end list for 2018.

  

Rating: 4 out of 5  horns up!