W.E.T. – ‘One Live In Stockholm’

@planetmosh reviews W.E.T. One Live In Stockholm @FrontiersRec @jeffscottsoto

This new album ‘One Live In Stockholm‘ is a first for W.E.T. It’s a combined live double CD with a DVD being released via Frontiers Records, and is available to purchase on the 21st of February 2014. The gig was filmed back in January 2013 while they were performing at the Debaser Club in Stockholm. It features songs from their debut album ‘Rise Up ‘, plus a compilation of tracks from the bands Work of Art, Eclipse and Talisman. This is were the abbreviated band name comes from, W.E.T.  Both the CD and the DVD have bonus track content which include two un-released studio recorded tracks from the debut album.

The first song on this double CD album ‘Walk Away ‘ was a good choice to start off with and set the tone for what was to follow. What I really liked most of all about this band and the two CD’s is that although they class themselves as a melodic rock band, it was the very lack of endless unnecessary guitar twiddling that made me consider it to be a real worthy listen to!  They play some excellent tracks from the very large back catalog of songs at their disposal. W.E.T. are most definitely a big gig band, their massive sound needs a big stage to be able to appreciate them to the full, with the powerful voice of  Jeff Scott Soto booming out the lyrics accompanied by his band team mates Erik, Robert, Robban and Magnus. Obviously with over twenty one tracks on this double disk offering, I can’t write about every single song. So here is just a quick taster of a few I,ve picked out!

‘Comes Down Like Rain ‘ has a nice melodic duet to start off. It sounded like a proper ballad should with powerful clear singing, majestic riffs and just in general a real nice track to chill out to. The live recorded crowd at the gig enjoyed it too, joining in on the chorus. A sure sign of a winning track!!  Moving onto ‘Love Heals ‘ is why I say they are a big gig band. This is a brilliant song that just needs that massive type of stage to accommodate this big BIG sounding rock song. Again it’s full of everything you need, great riffs great harmony’s. Why we aren’t hearing this song on main stream radio baffles me! Or at least used for a film track?

Onward!!! Now we’re given an injection of adrenalin with the up-beat song ‘Bad Boy ‘. A much faster paced song more racy then previous songs I’ve spoke of, and I,m sorry if it upsets anyone but, while I listen to this song all I can see is shoulder pads, big bouffants, Sunset Boulevard filled with Ferrari’s and Michael J Fox doing his thing in a mid 80’s comedic film, with a touch of Springsteen thrown in for good measure. My thoughts, you find your own!!  One of the bonus tracks on disk two is ‘Bigger Than Both Of Us ‘. An absolute stunner of a rock love ballad, it has a huge duel guitar sounding riff reminiscent of Whitesnake’s style but given that W.E.T. touch of class. Jeff out does himself singing his heart out during this song, and you can just feel the raw emotion coming through in the lyrics.

CD number two starts with the epic ‘If I fall ‘. This double disk just has to be one of the best value for money CD and DVD combinations yet put on sale this year. For fans of W.E.T. and  Jeff and crew it is an album that must not be missed. On the song ‘The Great Fall ‘ Lars Safsund guests and takes over lead vocals on this track. Always a good steady beat on every song this particular one has a really great mid track guitar riff, nice but with a little bit more oomph!  Lastly your treated to a second bonus track called ‘Poison ( Numbing The Pain )’.  Much heavier on the riffs this time, but again a sure fire winner fans will play over and over.

So, my overall thoughts are…….. A pretty good all round ( live ) debut album. Your getting plenty of melodic rock for your £ / $ or Euro, with an even better deal of the added bonus of the DVD too. Don’t hold back and wait for a friend to buy it, go get it and feel the love of rock n roll!  It’s out on Friday via Frontiers Records label, 21/2/14!!!

Band Members

Erik Mårtensson: Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
Jeff Scott Soto: Lead Vocals
Robert Säll: Keyboards, Guitars
Robban Bäck: Drums
Magnus Henriksson: Guitars

and

Larrs Safsund: Guest Guitarist/Singer

CD1:                                                                                        CD2

1. “Walk Away”                                                                 1. “If I Fall”
2. “Learn To Live Again”                                                  2. “Shot”
3. “Invincible”                                                                   3. “Comes Down Like Rain”
4. “I’ll Be There”                                                                4. “The Great Fall”
5. “Love Heals”                                                                  5. “What You Want”
6. “Rise Up”                                                                       6. “Brothers In Arms”
7. “Bleed & Scream”                                                         7. “Mysterious”
8. “Bad Boy”                                                                      8. “One Love”
9. “Still Unbroken”                                                            9. “Poison (Numbing The Pain)” (Bonus Studio Track)
10. “Broken Wings”                                                           10. “Bigger Than Both Of Us” (Bonus Studio Track)
11. “I’ll Be Waiting”

DVD:

1. “Walk Away”
2. “Learn To Live Again”
3. “Invincible”
4. “I’ll Be There”
5. “Love Heals”
6. “Rise Up”
7. “Bleed & Scream”
8. “Bad Boy”
9. “Still Unbroken”
10. “Broken Wings”
11. “I’ll Be Waiting”
12. “If I Fall”
13. “Shot”
14. “Comes Down Like Rain”
15. “The Great Fall”
16. “What You Want”
17. “Brothers In Arms”
18. “Mysterious”
19. “One Love”
20. “Love Heals” (Bonus videoclip)
21. “Learn to Live Again” (Bonus videoclip)