A few days ago, I went out on my nightly post dinner walk. Per usual, I was equipped with earbuds intact and iPhone in hand, clicking on a random Spotify mix to serve as the evening’s soundtrack. This mix consisted of the usual melodic fare: Magnum, Dokken, Scorpions. But every now and then, Spotify will throw in a new discovery. This latest discovery has come in the form of Finland’s Wishing Well. My initial reaction was, “Who are these guys and why have I never heard of them?” From the first listen of their song, “Made of Metal”, I knew I had to investigate further.
I’m not sure what rock I’ve been sleeping under, but Do or Die is the third album from Wishing Well. This Finnish five piece takes us back to a time after metal’s early 70s inception, but before the thrash explosion of the mid 80s. Think metal circa 1979. Right out the gate, Do or Die kicks into overdrive with its ferocious title track. It has all the makings of a classic Rainbow song: a singer who sounds like a hybrid of Ian Gillan and Graham Bonnet, rumbling Hammond organ, fast tempo, and those fancy Blackmore inspired twin leads. “Made of Metal” keeps up the mood with a chorus that’s anthemic and memorable.
Organs and guitars go head to head in a duel on the triumphant “We Shall Never Surrender”. Meanwhile, “Sermon on the Mount” is likely the most epic moment on the album. Ever wonder what Jesus’ sermon the mount would sound like set to a Rainbow song? Look no further. This is a beautiful track that eclipses the vast majority of Christian metal bands.
While I keep making comparisons to Blackmore and his associated projects, they’re not Wishing Well’s only old school influences. “Lost in the Night” has a distinct AOR tinge evoking the feeling of a gentle summer breeze on a late night drive. “Live and Learn” is a big power ballad which dares us not to wave our lighters back and forth. And “The Gates of Hell” is as dark as the title implies. The doomy Iommi-esque riffs which guide it are straight out of a forgotten Born Again songwriting session.
Here in the states, Purple has become “the band who did ‘Smoke on the Water'” and Rainbow “Dio’s old band”. This is no thanks to classic schlock radio and revisionist meatheads who claim the only 70s metal bands were Sabbath, Priest, and Motörhead. The old school maniacs who lived through the late 70s and early 80s know better. They remember the glory of catching Purple on the Perfect Strangers tour. If you’re part of the old guard and looking for that same spark of metallic energy, or among my generation discovering these classic bands for the first time, check out Wishing Well. Do or Die is one of the few recent releases that does this era justice.
7 out of 10
Label: Inverse Records
Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
For fans of: Rainbow, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath