Winger
Karma
Rating
Style: Melodic Hard Rock
Release date: October 16th 2009
 

I recall reviewing the last couple of WINGER releases and being quite enthusiastic about those, I found myself expecting a lot of this, their new album entitled “Karma”. The title hints at the whole concept of the WINGER sound; a sort of karma or equilibrium between the original “hair metal” style and the profound Kip Winger solo sound. This intentional blend will make die-hard fans think twice while it’ll potentially welcome a few new listeners.

Personally I find it intriguingly catchy as Beach, Morgenstein, Roth and Winger crank up the volume on the first 2-3 tracks. Their interplay is simply breathtaking! Even the most formulaic composition is granted a whole new dimension and even over-used sexist/R’n’R lines like “bottles of booze, girls with tattoos – I made a deal with the deal” seem to maintain their integrity. Mind you, the year is almost 2010 and it is 20+ years since WINGER started writing material like this.

On the other hand, were it not for the ballads and introvert Kip-stuff, the typical R’n’R sound would tire you in the long run. Imagine old school WINGER with a twist - somewhere in-between “Pull” and “Sahara”.

There’s one thing I do not like about “Karma” and that’s the element of progress. “Progress” is normally a positive word but not when it comes to the sound of WINGER. They simply try to sound TOO modern and up-to-date on certain tracks. It’s probably a natural evolution for any band to try on a new sound every once in a while, however WINGER should’ve stuck to the formula they created on their last studio album.

This is hardly a classic but fans of Melodic Hard Rock/Hair Metal will discover a gem or two – that’s guaranteed!


Tracklist

01. Deal With The Devil (3:00)
02. Stone Cold Killer (2:45)
03. Big World Away (3:50)
04. Come A Little Closer (2:50)
05. Pull Me Under (3:21)
06. Supernova (6:18)
07. Always Within Me (4:15)
08. Feeding Frenzy (3:01)
09. After all This Time (6:24)
10. Witness (7:00)

Label: Frontiers Records
Promotion: Zink Music
Distribution: Bonnier/Amigo (Denmark)
Artwork rating: 50/100
Reviewed by: The Jack
Date: September 17th 2009
Website: Winger @ MySpace