Review: Wicked Smile – When Night Falls

No Dust Records (February 6^th 2026)

Reviewer – Jason Hopper

Wicked Smile are back on the scene with their second full length release, ‘When Night Falls‘.  Having arrived with all guns blazing back in 2021, the band made a name for themselves as flag carrying, old school heavy metal rockers.

Having thought highly of their debut (review here), I anxiously awaited their follow up. When the title track first single was released back in October, I took one listen and immediately purchased the MP4 to add it to my Halloween playlist. I love both horror and metal, and when you mix them together just right, it hits a special sweet spot. One of the best songs of the year for me.

I jumped at the chance to review the album. Having heard it, I can say assuredly that you are all in for a treat. ‘When Night Falls‘ Is a fabulous follow-up to the debut. If you liked the title track single, there’s more of that as well as a good amount of tonal variety.

Track 2’s ‘Back to Back’ slows things down a bit but ups the heaviness with a solid groove.  Credit to bassist Tom Nugara. From the isolated opening lines, he is all over this track and owns it. He gives this song the power it demands.

‘Rebel Souls’ is a standout and sounds like a mix of the best qualities of the old and new iterations of Dokken. It’s a classic George Lynch style riff that fires all the right neurons in my brain.  he gang vocals in the chorus are interesting as they are pronounced but then start to fade ethereally before they are completed. A haunting effect that I don’t recall hearing in other songs in the genre.

The blood gets pumping for the high energy rocker ‘Never Surrender’. A return to horror with a fight for survival in a dreamscape narrative. Guitarists Stevie Janevski and Davey Graham employ a classic metal riff that should fire up all who were into the early 80s rock scene. My second favorite track on the album.

Those classic type metal riffs can also be found on tracks ‘Walking the Wire’ and ‘Night Time Riders’. Nothing groundbreaking about these songs, but played with gusto and muscle. Solid efforts all around.

One song I never connected with was ‘Face of the Wicked’. The song is modeled after tunes from Dio-era Black Sabbath. While I do love a bunch of tracks from that era of the band, I never cared for the slower, doom plodding songs laced throughout their albums. That is what you have here. A heavy, slow tempo track that offers a lot of dead air when the bass and guitar stop strumming in between the snare cracks. A quality song, just not my cup of tea.

I did a comparison to the sonics of the debut and the band tightened up their bottom end. The bass and drums are nice and thick here. While I enjoyed the debut, this is a step up for the band. If you liked the first album, you are going to love this. The band is firing on all cylinders.  Feel free to pre-order without worry. This will make people’s Top 10 lists for 2026 for sure.

Tracklisting:

1. When Night Falls
2. Back To Back
3. Face Of The Wicked
4. Rebel Souls
5. Never Surrender
6. Close Your Eyes Before The Rain
7. Walking The Wire
8. Night Time Riders
9. Heavens Falling Down (Crutch)
10. Phoenix Will Rise

Line-up:

Danny Cecati – vocals
Steve Janevski – guitars
Dave Graham – guitars
Tom Nugara – bass
Andrew Sharp – drums

Web Links:

Official Website

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