Wheels of Fire | ar

Wheels of Fire are a melodic, 80's-reminiscent band from Italy composed of singer Davide 'David Rox' Barbieri, guitarist Stefano Zeni, bassist Marcello Suzzani, drummer Fabrizio Ucellini, and keyboardist Andrea Vergori.

With the their sophomore album, Up For Anything, Italian rockers Wheels Of Fire have become a full band. The core founders, vocalist Davide “Dave Rox” Barbieri and guitar player Stefano Zeni, are now joined by Marcello Suzzani on bass, Andrea Vergori on keyboards & piano and Fabrizio Uccellini on drums.

What has not changed is their commitment to Eighties style, AOR melodic rock, yet on the more edgier size. Songs like pain, No Mercy, and Don't Walk Away, by example, definitely the melodic hard rock. Alternatively, Web of Lies and Tell Me venture into the lighter AOR side, with the latter more a ballad. Then Respect straddles the fence starting almost Westcoast breezy, but then growing into a nice rock groove and blistering guitar solo.

Fundamentally, across the entire album, there's a definite heavier edge, with more grit and gusto to most every song. This is something they didn't quite capture with their debut album Hollywood Rocks. Does this make this album better? Not so much, just a different, at the very least an evolution in their sound. Recommended. .