WILDNESS – Avenger

RELEASE YEAR: 2025
BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/wildnessofficial/

Wildness released a great and well-written album back in 2022 titled Resurrection, which blended melodic rock/AOR and hard rock to superb effect, and ever since then I have been looking forward to a follow-up to said piece of work. Their new record, Avenger, picks up the musical narrative where its predecessor left off, which means that you and I get to enjoy eleven pulsating anthems that are robustly delivered and that display some impressive songwriting chops. There is a fair amount of variety to what these five Swedish chaps have churned out and it feels less lightweight compared to so much else that is tagged as melodic hard rock out there. More crunch, less smoothness, if you catch my drift. “Crucified” and “Broken Heart” serve as highlights, but the record is absolutely solid and maintains its momentum from start to finish, and its earworms are clothed in a vibrant and punchy production with a modern sheen to it. Simply put, Wildness have hit the nail on the head again and nothing appears slapdash on Avenger. Heck, you can even hum along to the solos here, which says something about its irresistible quality.