Review: Wicked Smile – Wait For The Night

Australia Independent (September 24th

(U.K./Europe Cargo Distribution (October 15th)

Japan – Bickee Music (October 27th)

Reviewer: Jason Hopper

‘Wait For The Night‘ is the fantastic full length debut from Wicked Smile, a band that released a much appreciated EP (‘Delirium‘) last year at a time when we needed some escapism in our lives. The band was founded by guitarist Stevie Janevski, who occupies his time with his other band The Radio Sun. If you are familiar with that band, then this new project is a different animal altogether. This is a hard rock/metal juggernaut that must be purchased by anyone who is into 80s sounding rock and metal.

Since the EP was reviewed a year ago (review here) and those four songs show up on this release, there’s no sense in retreading these songs again. There are plenty of reviews out there that discuss their quality. What I will say is that the EP did not contain all of the best songs on this album.

The album opens with ‘Date With The Devil’, a heavy, aggressive track that shows off the impressive pipes of singer Danny Cecati, who can belt out a scream in the verses and transition to a snarl for the chorus while making it seem effortless. Track 2 ‘Wait For The Night’ continues the intensity, with a delivery that matches what Judas Priest and Dio could do in their heyday.

I would like to point out the importance of sequencing and why it’s imperative to listen to an album as a collective these days. I know everyone goes for their phones and tracks are splintered from albums, but sequencing can make a huge difference in individual track enjoyment when listening as a collective, making the songs stand out even more.

The heavy but slower track ‘Sign of Times’, which is straight out of Dio-era Black Sabbath, is immediately followed by three intense tracks, each one better than the one that preceded it.  ‘Days of Delirium’, ‘Killer At Large’, & ‘Last Goodbye’ are the highlights of the album. The riffs constructed by Stevie and fellow guitarist Dave Graham are superb slices of melodic metal.  ‘Love’s Got a Hold on You’ slows things down just a bit while pumping up the melodic overtones. It’s the closest sounding track to Stevie’s other band The Radio Sun, especially in the bridge and chorus sections. This leads into ‘Don’t Wait For Me’, the sole ballad on the album, and as good as Danny Cecati is on the other tracks, he really shines here. His range is amazing and you don’t know how great he can be until you get to this song. The instrumentation for most of the song is minimal, so the focus is on his delivery. His soulfulness shines through and makes this one of the best tracks on the album.

While pedal to the metal tracks are always expected and enjoyed, I always appreciate when a band diversifies its sound to explore various structures and tempos. When sequenced correctly on an album, it can take a listener for a ride. Like any good ride, the highs and the lows are equally important. When an album is sequenced correctly (as it is here), slower tracks mixed in with faster tracks makes you appreciate all the tracks respectively. In short, the album took me for a ride, and I’m damn glad that I got to experience it.

If you purchased the EP, then this is a no-brainer must purchase.  If you have not heard them before, this is a must have. If you’re on this website, then you have a love for all things 80s rock/metal related. This is a throwback album that will bring you back to a simpler time and make you feel young again. Absolutely check it out.