Album Review — W.E.T.
W.E.T. — Earthrage
W.E.T. is a supergroup of sorts. Robert Sall (Work of Art), Erik Martensson (Eclipse) and Jeff Scott Soto (Talisman among others) are the three main members that make up the band. Earthrage is W.E.T.’s third studio record. I really liked the first two so I was really looking forward to this one.
The first song is called Watch the Fire and features vocals from both Soto and Martensson. Martensson handles lead vocals as well as guitar in Eclipse and I really like his voice, so Watch the Fire is an album highlight for me. I would categorize W.E.T. as heavy melodic, meaning the songs feature the guitars up front with a lot of melody. By the second time through the record, I was singing along with the choruses.
I think Soto is at his best in this genre. This is his third release in 6 months and he’s currently in multiple bands as well as his solo projects. But he really shines here as he has a great voice and he’s able to show it off. The album is full of strong melodies and catchy choruses. There’s some well-placed keyboard at times but this album is just about all guitars and vocals.
There’s a lot of European rock bands that have a similar sound. There’s a lot of Journey influence here — think Separate Ways updated 35 years.
If I have any complaint with the album it is that it’s a bit predictable. I like every song, but it’s a lot of the same type of song. The album could use a little diversity and I would love to hear some more of Martensson’s vocals.
But overall I really like the album. I’m a sucker for these types of bands and W.E.T. are masters of Melodic Hard Rock. I can only hope Soto and Martensson continue to stay busy and continue to release great music.
Grade — 90 out of 100
Track Listing
01. Watch The Fire *
02. Burn
03. Kings On Thunder Road *
04. Elegantly Wasted
05. Urgent
06. Dangerous
07. Calling Out Your Name *
08. Heart Is On The Line
09. I Don’t Wanna Play That Game *
10. The Burning Pain Of Love
11. The Never-Ending Retraceable Dream
*Best songs