Put simply ‘One Live – In Stockholm’ is superb.

Anyone who attended Firefest in 2011 or 2013 will already know how spectacular the Melodic Rock sensations W.E.T. were on both occasions. However, unless you were in Stockholm on the 17th of January 2013 then you won’t have been lottery jackpot winning lucky enough to have experienced them in the flesh and completely on their own terms.

‘One Live – In Stockholm’ is the 2CD/1DVD document of that night - and what a night it must have been with the amazing ball of energy that is Jeff Scott Soto, Erik Mårtensson having a cheeky boyish grin from start to finish and Robert Säll flitting between guitar, keyboards and backing vocals with supreme ease. A variety of camera angles keeps the action interesting even if the stage is a tight little strip; the sheer energy and passion from each band member resulting in one of the best live albums I’ve heard and seen in years (especially from a Melodic Rock band).

Six classics from the self titled debut, nine from the, at that time, upcoming ‘Rise Up’ album, as well as four numbers from the bands which provide W.E.T. with their name ably illustrates the superb catalogue these musicians have amassed. Soto is, as ever, in superb voice, whether he is hammering out low notes, reaching for the heights, or simply howling with delight while cajoling and commanding the enthusiastic crowd. Mårtensson backs him ably, taking lead vocals when the need (or song) arises, his guitar work creating the spark from which all these songs ignite into life, while Säll provides the rock everything is built on. Special mention also needs go to the rest of the band, Magnus Henriksson (guitar), Robban Bäck (drums) and Andreas Passmark (bass), who all add to this supremely tight, energetic performance that’s captivating from start to finish.

Unlike most “modern” live albums, the energy, spark and joy on stage at this momentous occasion really comes across here. Old friends ‘Invincible’, ‘I’ll Be There’ and ‘Brothers In Arms’ are greeted as heroes while ‘One Love’, ‘Still Unbroken’ and ‘Rise Up’ are hailed as the classics they’ve become. The Eclipse track ‘Bleed & Scream’ with Mårtensson on the mic hits hard, as does the Work Of Art belter ‘The Great Fall’ where Lars Säfsund of WoA takes lead vocals, whereas ‘I’ll Be Waiting’ and ‘Mysterious’ give a timely reminder of just what a great band Talisman were – fittingly ‘Comes Down Like Rain’ is dedicated to Soto’s sadly departed Talisman mate Marcel Jacob.

The CD adds two new tracks, ‘Poison (Numb The Pain)’ and ‘Bigger Than Both Of Us’, which are both good enough to have graced ‘Rise Up’, while the DVD offers video clips of ‘Love Heals’ and ‘Learn To Live Again’. However the main event here is the superb documenting of one the few real “occasions” to occur in the Melodic Rock scene outside of Firefest for quite some time.

Put simply ‘One Live – In Stockholm’ is superb.

Steven Reid