SongWeb · Review · 28 August 2026
MichaelJamo for SongWeb. Originally published .
Read the original at SongWebThe closest reading the lyrics have had. MichaelJamo goes through all eight tracks in order and quotes the words back, treating The Beanstalk Speaks as an allegory, Kiss Hello as an answer to modern dread, and Unshakable No as a close that earns its sorrow. The verdict on the record is that it holds because the band lets opposing ideas sit side by side, dark without gloom and philosophical without pretension, and that it is worth hearing from start to finish.
Like Rock Era, this one puts a quote on every song page. The opening paragraph is our bio reworded and is not quoted.
Their music can be dark without turning gloomy, philosophical without becoming pretentious, and playful without becoming frivolous.
SongWeb
Chameleous have produced an album that is well worth listening to from start to finish.
SongWeb
The reason that Wicked Din holds together is that the band is willing to allow opposing ideas to exist alongside one another.
SongWeb
Wicked Din therefore proves to be a very appealing first album.
SongWeb
Instead, their sound comes across as experienced, curious, full of soul, and willing to embrace a strange idea.
SongWeb
The performances have the relaxed quality of experienced musicians who are playing together in the same room, and at the same time the songwriting ensures that the material remains solid and easy to remember.
SongWeb
The instruments have a cooperative rather than a congested feel, the rhythm section offering a solid base while the guitar-based textures and melodic elements provide the arrangements with their character and movement.
SongWeb
The production ensures that the lyrics remain clear and in the forefront, at the same time maintaining the natural atmosphere appropriate for an experienced six-piece group.
SongWeb
Equally important is the fact that the performances have a live atmosphere; the vocals do not come across as being separate from the band but rather as being a part of it.
SongWeb
The effect is not that of a performance but rather as if a promise is being made in real time.
SongWeb
The second track, The Beanstalk Speaks, has a more biting edge and displays a clever intelligence.
SongWeb
The story of Jack and the Beanstalk is used as an allegory for greed, power, ambition, and the consequences that follow, thus turning a well-known childhood tale into a much darker one.
SongWeb
The way the vocals are performed reflects the balance between fatigue and hope, and the music accepts the song's dreamlike quality rather than attempting to make it more conventional.
SongWeb
Musically, the song is enhanced by an atmospheric setup in which the instruments are just as important as the lyrics, giving it a smoky, late-night appeal.
SongWeb
It is playful, flirtatious, and a bit odd, focusing on chemistry rather than making bold declarations.
SongWeb
Because the way the voice is delivered is so important, it works by keeping the emotion just beneath the surface rather than making it into melodrama.
SongWeb
The repeated refrain gives the song a hypnotic effect.
SongWeb
The vocal performance has a brisk and open character, and the band seems particularly at ease in letting the song's rhythmic and melodic ideas develop freely.
SongWeb
This song presents heartbreak without any romantic embellishment.
SongWeb
As a final track, it leaves a lasting sense of sorrow that matches the album's broader preoccupation with connection, struggle, and survival.
SongWeb
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