There is something awfully charming about the hard-hitting Norwegian sleaze rockers collectively known as Wildnite. The fact that they are so young and yet manage to pull off classic 80s-style glam rock in such a convincing and cool manner is pretty mind-blowing. These dudes were not even born back then, but somehow their music makes you believe that they were. Following a string of gigs and a well-earned slot at last year’s majestic Tons of Rock festival in Norway, Wildnite are finally ready to present their self-titled debut offering and the result is a most satisfying one. Boasting loads of huge-sounding riffs, enthusiasm, youthful energy, and pounding drums, the 12 songs that constitute the record are nothing if not entertaining and memorable. Wildnite as a whole sounds cohesive and coherent, and the entire affair is disciplined and focused, but never rigid or devoid of potency.
The songs are nicely arranged and structured, which is to say that they are pretty straightforward and direct. There is nothing overly complicated or complex going on here – Wildnite are simply all about having a good time and blasting out riveting tunes with massive hooks to them. The warm production adds an organic touch to the disc while the musicianship is solid, so no complaints there really. Wildnite is far from flawless or perfect, which is to say that a few of the riffs come across as uninspired while the vocals, although convincing, do sound slightly strained in places. However, these are minor issues and do not change the fact that the band are a talented bunch of musicians who have a knack for writing memorable and life-affirming tunes that will make your legs move. One song in particular stands out, namely the bombastic power ballad entitled ‘I Remember You‘, and adds diversity to the album in that it has a different tone and more nuances to it than the other ones, and one can only hope that the next output will contain more material in that particular vein.
Yours truly harbors no doubt that these fuckers might well turn into the next big thing from Norway with respect to hard rock and glam rock. The potential that is on display is stunning to behold and with a few more gigs under their belts, Wildnite will without doubt be a force to be reckoned with both in and outside of the recording studio. This is a an enjoyable, fun, and above all a glorious throwback to the good old days of ear-splitting rock ‘n’ roll.
