Review: Wedge ‘Like No Tomorrow’
Wedge are a power trio from Berlin, Germany who formed in 2014 and consist of guitarist & vocalist Kiryk Drewinski, drummer Holger ‘The Holg’ Grosser and bassist & organist Dave Götz. Like No Tomorrow is the follow-up to 2018s Killing Tongue and their third release. The album’s lyrics centre around digitalisation, mass migration and other such issues, while the title hints at an apocalyptic future. The flames on the album cover references Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and its grim dystopian themes.
The album starts with Computer and I’m struck from the off by the delicious Deep Purple flavours and the Hammond organ evoking the spirit of the late Jon Lord. The track fizzes along and is a cracking way to open. The Hellacopters were mentioned in the promo notes and there is definitely an influence from Nicke Andersson’s mob on Playing A Role. There’s even some Danzig style woah’s added to the garage punk/rock stew for good measure. This is laden with hooks and more fun than you can shake a stick at.
Blood Red Wine takes a darker tone and is a little doomier, if the retro-rock of Pentagram influenced outfit Graveyard floats your boat then you’ll be right at home here. Across the Water marks the halfway point and has a far more progressive tinge, it’s a number you may need a couple of listens to fully digest it. The organ has a No Quarter Led Zeppelin vibe while the remainder of the track’s progressive hard blues has me thinking of personal favourites, Wishbone Ash. It demonstrates that Wedge aren’t merely about rocking out and having a good time, there’s a willingness to experiment too.
Queen Of The Night has a harder edge ala vintage Thin Lizzy, the title being the kind of name that the legendary Phil Lynott would come up with. It wouldn’t sound out of place on Live And Dangerous either, such is its energy and live feel. U’n’I is the shortest track on the record and I adore its funky grooves, once again Zeppelin is intonated, but James Gang leaps to the forefront of my mind as well. There is no way you could get bored listening to this number, it swings.
laden with hooks and more fun than you can shake a stick at…
At The Speed Of Life takes its cues from British blues rock legends Humble Pie and is a slice of slow burning blues. It’s a decent enough track for what it is but doesn’t quite connect with me. It meanders quite a bit and maybe due to the excitement created by U’n’I, anything that followed was always going to be a let-down by comparison. Soldier ends the album and is the longest at over nine minutes, the track recalls everyone’s ‘favourite’ Conservative hunter Ted Nugent, especially with the stellar and spectacular guitar work. I could easily imagine the ‘Nuge shredding his way through this in his mid 70s heyday. A truly epic way to end the album.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t really expecting a lot from Wedge, not out of any particular dislike but more because they were never on my radar. This is especially true for me at the moment as I’ve been listening to a lot of goth-rock/post-punk. However the album did take me by surprise, the musicianship was excellent and there was enough musical diversity to maintain my interest.
Wedge‘s influences may stand out like the lighthouse in John Carpenter’s The Fog, but the music is played with such passion that one can’t help but crack a smile throughout.
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Instagram
Scribed by: Reza Mills
