Stephen
If there's any strong correlation between Norway and metal, one shouldn't hesitate to mention black metal, because that's the country where most radical black metal came from, but to see a glam metal act arise from that country isn't an everyday thing. Wig Wam emerged after their song, "In My Dreams", winning the Norway's pre-selection for the Eurovision contest in 2005, and the rest is history. To be honest, Wig Wam is a pretty lousy name for a band, and not to mention their stage name from Glam, Teeny, Flash, and Sporty, is this a Spice Boy or what, but as ridiculous as the name would be, boy did they make an ass-kickin' music here.
"Wig Wamania" is their second release and I still considered this as their best ever, with a series of strong tunes in the veins of Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Poison, and Kiss in their mid-80s era. "Rock My Ride" opened the album with a powerful punch and thick modern riffs that's reminiscent of Bon Jovi's hit, "It's My Life". "Gonna Get You Someday" will blow you with an anthemic chorus that's common in Def Leppard or Poison's track. "Bygone Zone" is perhaps one of the best ballads of 2006 ever written. "Kill My Rock N' Roll" could be a Kiss' "Crazy Nights" left over song. "The Riddle" is one hella instrumental ride and proved their skill are way beyond their silly name. "At The End of The Day" is the second best ballad of the album and shown a more melancholic side of Wig Wam. "A R'N'R Girl Like You" is heavily influenced by Poison and CC DeVille's riff trick. The rest of the songs are also pretty good and I truly can't find any unnecessary filler here.
"Wig Wamania" is a proof that Norway can do better than most average American glam band. If you're new to the band, this is an indisputably perfect introductory album. Judging from the debut and the latest release, "Non Stop Rock And Roll", this album still stands high as their best and the top of their game. An excellent release and a must-buy for glam and melodic rock fans!