WONDERWORLD are a traditional hard rock/metal band based out of Norway. The band started back in 2013. The band has influences from the 70s such as LED ZEPPELIN, AC/DC, RUSH and DEEP PURPLE. This is their third album entitled "Wonderworld III", released back on June 19 2018. "Background Noises" has a tinge of JOURNEY and VAN HALEN in it, and by that I mean very solid lead vocals, a good rock vibe and a memorable chorus. There definitely is a lot of catchiness to how the song is structured, and its retro hard rock style reminds me a lot of what we have been hearing from JORN LANDE lately. The solos come across really well too, not going overboard but getting the point across. This is one of those songs you want to play in the car, with the windows down and the wind coming in.

"Stormy Night" has that heavy JIMMY PAGE feel to it and yes we even get a few little high pitch cries from Roberto Tiranti, a nice throwback to David Lee Roth. Once again, the strongest aspect of the song is the chorus, which really shines through nicely. There is a glimpse of progressive rock in here as well, something we could hear in the softer parts of FATES WARNING. The chorus as strong as it is does bring me back to the early days of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and the crushing middle section is a nice nod to BLACK SABBATH or CANDLEMASS. "Crying Out for Freedom" is a nicely performed hard rocker, which has some resemblances to WHITESNAKE and a very catchy chorus, with some harmonies and doubled vocals. I could clearly see a song like this play on the radio. I definitely hope this is their first single, as it would attract many listeners.

"A Mountain Left to Climb" is a heavier piece and with the very masculine tones in the vocals, you cannot help but think of Sammy Hagar. Even musically it has that early 90's side to it that we were used to hearing from Hagar's solo material and of course his time in VAN HALEN. "Brand New Man" has that very familiar bluesy/hard rock sound that is now so popular among the stoner rock bands of the 2000s. I can hear some KYUSS in here and maybe a little hint of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE. The chorus follows the same pattern as the previous songs, a lot of emotion, the vocals at the forefront, everything done perfectly. "Rebellion" has a bit of JIMI HENDRIX to it and a nice touch of Hammond keyboards. It is a much faster number, with the exception of the middle portion of the song. I really love the groovy style to the main riff.

"The Last Frontier" uses more atmospheres than any other song, keyboard effects especially, clean guitars. The best comparison here would DAVID GILMOUR's solo career. Of course this means this is the softest song on the album, but a good change of pace at this point of the album. "Stay Away From Me" goes back to that Page/Plant formula in its very small venue-like blues/rock number. By that I mean this song would song great in any bar with a lot of female dancing and drinking. This one is sure to be a crowd favorite. "There Must Be More" is as groovy as it gets, something akin to CHICKENFOOT or even some solo material from JOE SATRIANI. A very good closer to the album using the key components found in many songs here. Overall, this is a great rocking album from start to finish. Any fan of hard rock or even rock in general will find something to appreciate here. It is easy to listen to and follow. A great effort from these guys. <