WIZRD – Elements

The musically gifted and delightfully adventurous Norwegian rockers named Wizrd released a stunning debut album titled Seasons back in 2022, and ever since then I have been looking forward to its follow- up. Elements will arrive in early December and let me tell you straight up that this could very well be the best present for Christmas that you will receive this year.

Brimming with passion, playfulness, and pure unadulterated joy, Elements harbors a certain musical inquisitiveness that sees its nine spirited compositions fuse jazz and prog with the band’s very own take on vibrant and raw rock music. The restless energy that courses through every riff and passage sets these talented chaps apart from pretty much everything else out there, which is superbly illustrated by the opening song “GT, Me & My 6610” and “You’re Exposed.” Forward-thinking and perfectly intense yet accessible and instantly appealing, the material possesses a focused approach, and the playing has an urgency to it that complements the explosive vibe and feel of the record. While “Fylkesvei 33” may well be their grooviest and catchiest tune to date, the emotive closing track titled “Kaleidoskop” is arguably the band’s finest hour in terms of conjuring up a uniquely melancholic atmosphere.

Elements is undoubtedly prog in that it challenges the listener and transcends genre conventions in the best way possible while simultaneously being utterly memorable to boot. Eclectic, diverse, cohesive, and hypnotically captivating.