In a recent edition of Prog, Wheel bandleader James Lascelles assured readers that the Anglo-Finnish trio’s fourth album is heavier and weirder than its predecessors. It’s pleasing that such a weighty promise has been kept.
The loose concept of Charismatic Leaders explores various cults of personalities, from media oligarchs to politicians and beyond. Since 2021 album Resident Human, Lascelles says he has watched such figures take an increasingly influential role on society, and his blend of fascination with and hatred for them steers the record’s emotional turbulence.
