In an era where hard rock music is being quickly overshadowed by other genres, it is nice to see Wolfmother step into the fray with their balls-to-the-wall rock attitude. With in-your-face guitar riffs and headbanging instrumentation, Wolfmother starts off their fourth album, “Victorious,” with a bang and almost succeeds in indeed being victors.
The album captures the hard rock the band is known for but they have also managed to squeeze in some songs that go into the realm of alternative rock and acoustic ballads with “Baroness” and “Pretty Peggy” respectively. Their foray into these genres are solid and make for some of the best tracks on the album.
There is a noticeable shift between the first half and the second half of the album. The first part is home to some soon-to-be smash hits that will no doubt invade radio airwaves. The band should be credited with how well they manage to make these songs sound like instant classics with distinct guitar riffs and playful choruses that are easily etched into the mind. The latter half finds Wolfmother going harder in the genre of psychedelic rock. It’s enjoyable and definitely has standout moments among the tracks with distorted guitar licks and guitar solos. But in comparison to the first half, these songs are just more forgettable.
Wolfmother is so close to the finish line with “Victorious” with instant classic-like tracks but gets a little tired along the way to round it out.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
