Rise of the Wise

Marching for Liberty must have been a success because for their newest album, Wisdom is repeating everything that made their third release so good. The fun and excitement that permeates every inch of that album (except the ballad, of course), isn't here to the same degree, though plenty of it can still be found. That being said, Rise of the Wise has its share of great songs and Wisdom's signature style is on full display throughout, but this album just doesn't sizzle like the last one did. Though the band hasn't quite measured up to their own example this time, Rise is still a worthy release.

As previously mentioned, the band's style is zero percent different here from what it was last time. The lead and rhythm guitars are conceptually identical to what they sounded like on Marching for Liberty and their tone is still lean and clear. The formula of soaring high pitched solo vocals for the verses and soaring low-pitched choir vocals for the unbelievably catchy choruses is back again. Songs are still relatively short and get to the point quickly. The riffs are crunchy and the leads are strongly melodic no matter their tempo, though this time, both seem a little more inspired while on Marching for Liberty, they occasionally sounded somewhat lifeless. These guys know what works for them by now and they don't have any interest in veering from their own path.

This return of all the awesome stuff from the last album doesn't lead to another release that reaches the pinnacle of greatness because Wisdom plays it too safe. This vocal quirk that seemed so fresh and exciting on Marching for Liberty is so rigidly copied, with Gabor Nagy's high pitched voice singing the verses and gang vocal-driven choruses following, that much of its impact is lost. It's just not as thrilling anymore, especially on the more mid-tempo numbers. The best song here, 'Raven's Night', is the one that sticks to the formula the least. While its energetic, acrobatic guitar leads, quick tempo, and furious drumming all contribute to its badassery, this song also notably deviates from the tried and true verse-chorus-verse structure by adding a strong, unexpected passage. 'Nightmare of the Seas', with its sea shanty-esque main rhythm that fits the pirate-themed lyrics, is another memorable standout.

While all but the three best songs (the disc's other high point being the passionate and infinitely catchy 'Secret Life') don't quite recapture the glory of the previous album, Rise truly feels like it's missing something during the mid-paced songs. 'My Heart is Alive' and the title track both lack the feeling and strong melodies that made their previous album's slower numbers feel like they still had the vitality of their faster brothers. Instead, the aforementioned tracks amble along with melodies that barely ask you to pay attention, which is not helped by the fact that these two are the longest songs on the album. They also call attention to Nagy's weird annunciations. His overly-deliberate way of delivering some of his words is understandable because he hails from a non-English-speaking country, are still distracting, being much more noticeable than they were last time.

Like off-brand Pop-Tarts, these songs seem no different from what Wisdom's already put out at first glance (and they really aren't when you get down to what they're made of) but when you sink your teeth in, something feels slightly off. None of these songs is bad but even most of the good ones seem just a little too familiar and suffer slightly from the band's self-imposed prohibition on stepping outside a strictly-observed formula. There's more than enough songwriting skill on display here to overcome the album's recycled nature but it can't escape from Marching for Liberty's shadow.