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WISHING WELL
Chasing Rainbows
2016 Inverse Records

WISHING WELL is a Finnish melodic hard rock band who released their debut album Chasing Rainbows on February 5th. The band is composed of vocalist Peter James Goodman, drummer Rip Radioactive, bassist Richard Becker and guitarist Anssi Korkiakoski.

The album opens with the title track “Chasing Rainbows”, a bouncing rocker that sets the tone with a slick guitar riff and Goodman’s fantastic tenor. I really like the energy of this song. The next track, “Science Fiction”, features lyrics about machines taking over mankind. It is an up-tempo song featuring some double bass and tasty guitar licks in the breakdowns. The first single released from the album was “Hippie Heart Gypsy Soul”, which features guest lead vocals by the legendary Graham Bonnet. This is a really cool song, and one of my favorites on the album. “Sacrifice” slows things down with some nice doomy power chords. There are some BLACK SABBATH-inspired riffs on this track. “Luck Is Blind” ended up being one of my favorite tracks as well, with its catchy chorus and really cool piano accents and bass work. “I’ll Never Let You Go” is a cool ballad that includes some acoustic guitar and more piano. “Sands Of Time” and “Holy Mountain” are two more pulsing rock tunes accented by Goodman’s excellent voice. The album ends with the beautiful and somber “Fire In My Soul”, a folkish sing-along acoustic track that reveals another layer to the band’s repertoire.

Korkiakosi (who wrote all the songs) has a genuine ability to write solid, catchy hard rock songs. I also think Goodman is an excellent vocalist. His voice reminds me of Bruce Dickinson, yet he has his own style. The rhythm section of Rip Radioactive and Richard Becker are also quite talented, and their playing accentuates the writing here.

I think fans of classic ‘70s and ‘80s melodic hard rock bands, particularly BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW, will love WISHING WELL. There is also a modern power metal element that is going on in some of their songs that pays homage to a band like FALCONER. I played this album non-stop for over a week and really enjoyed it. My only complaint is that the album is a little short, at 41 minutes. I wanted it to keep going. The colorful album cover is also a nod to old school influences of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Chasing Rainbows was an unexpected and pleasant surprise and is an album that should garner some attention for this up and coming band.

4.0 Out Of 5.0

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