Rise of the Wise

Despite this being one of my most highly-anticipated releases of 2016 - I probably could've written this review before even spinning the CD. That's the beauty of Wisdom; slowly becoming the AC/DC of the power metal scene. They have a winning formula, established over 3 consistently excellent albums, and I see no reason why they should alter it. Let that not cast prejudice on their newest effort, "Rise of the Wise" - they manage to vary enough in pace and dynamics to keep things from falling into, what the cynics would call, the 'samey' trap.

Picking up on some of the developments made for 2013's "Marching For Liberty", "Rise of the Wise" opens with a minute-long introduction, which will become known as the only true disappointment of the album. Previous intro "World of the Free" had a choir, uplifting lyrics and a motif which was reprised in the title-track. "Over The Wall" unfortunately seems to taper off, having contributed nothing to proceedings. Thank God (or should I say Wiseman?) for "Ravens Night" then, eh? Wisdom couldn't have chosen a better opening track to fire up this monster! The galloping double-bass, grandiose lead melodies, incredibly tight stop/start rhythms, and Gabor Nagy's oh-so-familiar vocals. It's all here - no frills, no pomp, no bullshit.

This new effort doesn't quite hit the same level of heaviness. With previous ragers like "War of Angels" and "Judas" making the most of open E-string chugging and aggressive gang shouts, the more mellow approach of "Rise of the Wise" can be seen as a something of a setback. It hasn't vanished - only been diluted slightly. The march-like pulse of the title-track and evil vibe of "Hunting The Night" still fly the metal flag proudly. The production quality is, as usual, crystal clear and remarkably tight. Wisdom have always excelled with their crisp timbre, making the most of their rigid syncopated rhythms. Tamas Toth's double-bass is a brilliant pillar for the riffs to revolve around, and even Mate Molnar's bass can be heard rumbling beneath the layers of superb guitar work.

I'd best mention what we all know Wisdom do best: those choruses! The Hungarians shamelessly stick to a simplistic verse-chorus structure for a damn good reason: they write some of the most infectious choruses in power metal history. Thankfully, the band decided to keep the mixed choir they acquired back in 2013 - beefing up the harmonies on all the anthemic choruses. "Welcome To My Story", "Secret Life" and "Hero" jut out as being the most triumphant and satisfying of all; the latter containing an intriguing key change for each refrain.

As a complete package, this album just ... works. But there are a few special surprises that enhance the sense of fun and keep it from stagnating. The narration at the end of "Hunting The Night" is wonderfully performed, "Nightmare of the Seas" opens with a shanty-esque melody straight from a pirate movie, "Believe In Me" is the rousing ballad that the previous album was lacking, and the title-track features a guest spot from none other than Sabaton's Joakim Broden! This guy just finds himself singing everywhere these days!

The Hungarian power metallers find themselves carving a bigger and bigger Wisdom-shaped notch into the scene with every subsequent release. They may gradually develop and progress as the years pass - but they will always remain the uplifting, triumphant, anthemic band we know and love. "Words of Wisdom", "Judas" and "Marching For Liberty" weren't broke - so Wisdom didn't fix 'em!

"Hero, creature of war.
Glorious forevermore!
Hero, king of the field.
His name is feared!"