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Where The River Runs Cold

      
         
         
         
     
             
Wizz Wizzard are a hard rock band from Belgium formed in 2007 releasing their debut album in 2013 and the follow up in 2016.    
             
The new album opens with the energetic and infectious 'Crucified', sounding more like traditional British heavy metal rather than the hard rock the band themselves describe them as. The classic, duelling twin guitar lead races on at pace and we may just have something great here. 'On The Edge Of Desire' gallops and struts its stuff majestically and the influence of the NWOBHM sound is plain for all to hear. You'd be forgiven for thinking that Wizz Wizzard is a British band...they hail from Belgium, a country more famous for producing black and death metal bands. With a guitar buzz like a chainsaw cutting through a tree, 'Heaven' is a mid tempo foot stomp of heavy proportions. 'Heaven' is laid back, lazy and strolls on like it has no care in the world.    
             
There is no denying the classic, old school feeling you get when listening to Wizz Wizzard and 'The Wolf' is a prime example. Mean and moody, it meanders its way through buzzing guitars and chugging rhythms. Dark and moody with a mild doom feel around it, 'Live Or Die' has heavy guitars and more solemn vocal display...that is until half way through when 'Live Or Die' fires into life and turns into a chugging, foot on the monitor, out and out, head banger of a song. The buzzing guitar sound of Wizz Wizzard is epic and adds so much to the overall sound of the band. 'World Of Shadows' is an excellent example of this, with the twin guitar attack and galloping rhythms so reminiscent of the eighties NWOBHM sound. You would expect a song titled 'Rock Lives On' to be from bands such as Saxon or Manowar. But no, here it is on the latest release from Wizz Wizzard. 'Rock Lives On' is a majestic anthemic style romp that oozes power and passion. Foot tapping and head nodding rhythms that will infect your senses and have you smiling from ear to ear. Is that a ballad i see and hear? Most modern day hard rock and power metal bands seem to include at least one on every album and Wizz Wizzard are no exception, so get your lighters in the air and swing from side to side as 'Break Away' flows through the airways.    
             
However, 'Break Away' does have a mid section that will surprise and delight the listener, and i am not gonna spoil it by telling you what it is...you will have to listen and find out for yourself. The foot stomping, head banging style returns in glorious fashion with 'Road To Valhalla' echoing once again the classic, early to mid eighties British heavy metal sound. Mid tempo and chugging, 'Return Of The Vampires' romps in with an awesome guitar riff that bears more than just a passing resemblance to 'Princess Of The Dawn' by German metallers Accept from their 1982 album 'Restless And Wild'. That said, 'Return Of The Vampires' is a cracking mid tempo song that will have you vigorously nodding your head and tapping your feet. There have been two special guest musicians on the album, brothers Chris Appleton (Absolva/Blaze Bayley/Fury UK) and Luke Appleton (Iced Earth/Absolva/Fury UK). Wizz Wizzard bring the album to a close with 'Wonders Of The World', a cover of the song that appears on 'Restless', the solo album of Chris Appleton released in early 2015.    
             
Overall, fans of the NWOBHM and classic British heavy metal sound will love this album with a twin guitar lead and galloping rhythms.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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