There’s a phenomenon called ‘twin films.’ These are movies with a similar premise released very close one after the other. Dante’s Peak and Volcano, Armageddon and Deep Impact, Antz and A Bug’s Life. We experience similar things in metal sometimes, and one such event was the Wannabe Tool Wave of 2019, with Source, Soen and Wheel all releasing highly-rated albums in the vein of Maynard’s main vehicle in the span of a few weeks. With neither of its peers finding purchase with our staff on their most recent albums, it’s up to Wheel, the leftist overlapping Finnish outfit, to carry the alternative prog metal torch.
Never one to shy away from political themes, Wheel has taken to a theme rather than a full-blown concept with Charismatic Leaders, decrying populism and the cult of personality across 6 tracks and an interlude. In the band’s own words, this is intended as their metal album, the heavier, angrier version of the predecessors. That statement is not without merit, though the relative weight differs greatly from track to track. Where it applies the most, the music takes on a distinctively djenty quality, with syncopated rhythms jumping on and off the beat. Opener “Empire,” which attacks the media empire of Rupert Murdoch, is the clearest statement of intent in this direction, with a pulsing, pumping riff, shifting a half-count off the sharp crack of the drums and ending in a tasty, booming not-quite-breakdown.
From there on out, though, things go in a decidedly proggier direction, aligned more with Wheel’s last album, Resident Human. When I reviewed that album, I misidentified its single sizeable issue as lack of energy, but its real problem is lack of memorability, and that issue does return on Charismatic Leaders. There are few easy hooks or catchy refrains. Insular moments catch the ear upon return visits, but on the whole, the album takes a while to sink in. Until that time, it had a tendency to roll right off my withered attention span. In part, it’s a result of a writing quirk of the band, where the music seems to fold around the lyrics instead of the other way around. This sense of inaccessibility is alleviated somewhat by the good amount of variation from track to track, in length, pacing, and mood, but it did color my initial spins of the album.
But I gradually realized that the more attention I paid to Charismatic Leaders, the more I enjoyed it. It thrives on going left when you expect it to go right, weaving when it seems to go straight, keeping you on your toes with counterintuitive builds and musical feints. Though the lyrics-first approach still pushes the songwriting out of bounds, the intelligent writing incorporates the swerves in an interesting way. “Submission” is the strongest at this game and the best track on the album, its ominous rhythms making cerebral detours around the smooth vocals. But the quality remains high throughout, culminating in the slow, deliberate build of “The Freeze” which ends the record on a heady but satisfying note. The clear, punchy production with excellent bass presence is just the icing on the cake.
On its third album, Wheel remains a bit of a niche band. The political themes, the overt Toolisms, the clean and almost clinical sound, the off-beat songwriting choices. It’s a particular style that not everyone enjoys. But there’s no denying the huge amount of talent this trio harbors, in both composition and execution. Charismatic Leaders is not a huge swerve for the band, as the touted heaviness is only incremental, but it’s a strong continuation of an enviable discography.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Inside Out Music
Websites: wheelband.net | facebook.com/wheelband
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024
