METALLIAN - Wheels Of Fire

Members

Vocals

Guitar

Bass

Drum

History & Biography

Reviews

WHEELS OF FIRE - ALL IN - ART OF MELODY/BURNING MINDS
There is a Korean prank fortune teller video on YouTube that's laugh out loud funny. You have to watch it. Find it and you'll understand the tangent after also watching the new Wheels Of Fortune video clip. Back to Wheels Of Fire where you may be thinking LA Guns or maybe Ratt with a title like that. I am thinking of the track Dirty Weapons by Killer Dwarfs, but only on the song Fool's Paradise which kicks off All In in impressive fashion. The bass sound is cool, The guitarist rocks hard, there is a solo that is way too short and a drum sound that could be better because the man behind the kit is all over his kit. And, I didn't miss it, a couple of the Italians have long sexy hair too. The music of Killer Dwarfs and some vocals like Britny Fox here, but the man upfront goes more for a Jon Bon Jovi vibe after that particular song. The hard rock is powerful and well-produced and Davide Barbieri gives himself room to exude attitude through his intonation even if I wondered if it would have been better to drop it and just belt out straightforward because he clearly has the pipes and capability in range. While on the topic, also drop the background synthesizers. They are useless. Proof? They are absent most of the time and the songs are great without.
OK, we spoke about the hard rocking Fool's Paradise (also a video). What else do we have here? End Of time is melodic and delivers amazing guitar work. 99 Lies makes me want to know what the band is angry about with its Tim Burton-ish creepy intro before a tempo change gives it a do-over into a riff monster. It is somewhat Bon Jovi with a pop synthesiser. Songs like Neverland and Fool's Paradise promise the listener that the guitarist can solo and smoke. Why doesn't he give us both more and make the ones you have longer? EmpTV remembers an American schlocky conglomerate with lyrics that recall the first song ever played on MTV, namely Video Killed The Radio Star by The Buggles. Yeah, corporate money killed the music star more like it. There is so much here that's well thought-out and vintage hard rock. You have to hear it. Resonate is not funny and is a syrupy slow song that sounds like a toothless Motley Crue pop ditty - perhaps for Extreme fans? Invisible too is a slow song. The lyrics are odd and this girl is happy when the tune ends and the loud hard rock of Walking On The Wire kicks in. That one has heavy riffs and edgy soloing. What a complete song. But the disc ends with another slow song! The band is very good with its heavy metal hard rock. It is not as good with the slow songs. Oh well.
It is cool that Wheels Of Fire and Burning Minds keep glam metal and hard rock alive and vital. This rocks and the band adds finishing touches by making sure songs are above average and polished. - Sheila Wes Det

Interviews

Made in Italy, it roars like rolling thunder with treads of power beneath. It has a metal engine and delivers a class-leading cushy ride as well. Sure, it can go from 0 to 100 in under 6 seconds, but even with that torque the space for four does not skimp on the velvety comfort that was the hallmark of a bygone era. Is it a Maserati? Is it an Alfa Romeo? Or perhaps talk is of a Ferrari? Actually, the subject of the article is the quartet known as Wheels Of Fire, which with All In has released a 2025 album through Art Of Melody Music & Burning Minds Music Group. With some questions supplied by the Metallian knights, time for Ali "The Metallian" to sit singer Dave down and obtain some information. - 27.03.2025

METALLIAN: Dave, thank-you for your time and availability. There are potentially many who are not familiar with the band despite a back catalogue and years of existence. Would you please give the readers a good backgrounder on Wheels Of Fire?
DAVE: Thank-you for having me! Wheels Of Fire was created in 2006. We have four albums to our credit: Hollywood Rocks of 2010, Up For Anything of 2012, Begin Again of 2019 and All In, which was released a few days ago. We emerged from a desire to blend the classic energy of '80s' melodic rock with our own unique twist, crafting songs that resonate with both long-time fans and newcomers.

METALLIAN: At the same time, the band has slimmed down to being a quartet. Could you talk about the changes within the group?
DAVE: The line-up of Wheels Of Fire has changed frequently over the years, but myself, guitarist Stefano Zeni and drummer Fabrizio Uccellini have been here from the very beginning. We are the core. I played all the keyboards on the first album and it wasn't a problem to do so again on this new release. In terms of songwriting, nothing has changed because I've always written the songs in collaboration with Stefano.

METALLIAN: Were you, and the rest of the group, in other bands previous to Wheels Of Fire? Are you in any other projects currently?
DAVE: Before forming Wheels Of Fire, each of us had different musical experiences that helped shape our journey. Even if some of our past bands weren’t widely known, they all contributed to our growth as musicians and led us to where we are today. I was involved in several projects as a vocalist and musician, Charming Grace and Room Experience, always drawn to melodic rock and AOR. Stefano and Fabrizio have another band called Addicted To Pain.

METALLIAN: OK, appreciate the information and the background, Dave. We are talking today owing to the release of a new album called All In. Could you talk to me about your intentions, vibe and mood during the album's creation. How does this release compare to the act's previous work by the way?
DAVE: With this release, our goal was to push ourselves both musically and emotionally while staying true to our melodic rock roots. We wanted this album to feel fresh and powerful, with anthemic choruses, soaring melodies and, you know… a lot of heart! The vibe we aimed for was energetic, yet deeply emotional, capturing that classic AOR spirit while bringing a modern edge to our sound.
Compared to our previous albums, All In feels more mature and refined. The songwriting process was very natural. We focused on delivering strong, meaningful lyrics alongside dynamic arrangements. There's a mix of highly energetic tunes, heartfelt ballads and some fresh elements that showcase our evolution as a band. We truly gave everything we had into this record; hence the title All In!

METALLIAN: That also gives an explanation to an unasked question! I have to take you to task for something here before we go on however. You emphasize "AOR" and its spirit. In all frankness, I hear a lot more hard rock in Wheels Of Fire and next to no AOR. Where am I going wrong?
DAVE: When I say "capturing the classic AOR spirit" I mean the melodic aspect associated with AOR. While All In certainly leans into some harder rock elements, the AOR spirit is always present in what we do. It’s not just about the sound; it’s about the melodies, the big choruses and the emotional drive behind the music. With this album, we wanted to capture the balance between powerful guitars, energetic riffs and a strong melodic foundation.

METALLIAN: Alright, got it. Do you see Wheels Of Fire as a proudly outmoded band? Or do you see the band as one that deliberately carries the torch for true 1980s' hard rock? I am more interested in your thoughts than mine, but for me Wheels Of Fire is a band that sounds like the 1980s never died.
DAVE: We definitely see ourselves as a band that carries the torch for true 1980s' hard rock, but at the same time, we don’t consider ourselves 'outmoded' maybe because deep down we know that that scene never really disappeared. We take a lot of pride in keeping the sound alive because we genuinely love it. Those anthemic choruses, powerful guitar solos and emotional melodies never get old for us. If listening to Wheels Of Fire feels like stepping into a time when rock ruled the world, then we’ve done our job right (laughs). The ’80s never really died and we try to keep that fire burning!

METALLIAN: OK. Let's talk about a couple of the songs, shall we? What is 99 Lies about and where does the creepy intro fit?
DAVE: Yes, of course! The song could be seen as a hymn to people who care too much for others. When they sacrifice their wellbeing to make sure those around them feel good and are protected, superficial people tend to take advantage of the situation. Good people end up lying to hide their disappointment when they say, "It doesn't matter", "didn’t hurt me" or "don’t regret it.” The pain may lead to depression or to dangerous, self-destructive behaviour. As for the creepy intro, it was designed to set the mood right from the start. We wanted something unsettling, almost cinematic, to guide the listener into the song’s dark atmosphere. It’s a perfect lead-in to the explosive energy of the track.

METALLIAN: I get the reaction you are describing, Dave. I think you explain that state or emotion well. Several cuts like the opener, 9.29 and Neverland show off a guitarist who can shred and solo, but these are either scarce or shorter than warranted. Thoughts?
DAVE: Stefano is an incredible guitarist and we always want his playing to shine. In all our releases we aimed for a balance between melody and technicality. Every solo was crafted to serve the song rather than overshadow it. That being said, we absolutely love big, expressive solos and when the moment is right, like in 9.29 or Neverland, Stefano delivers with precision and emotion.

METALLIAN: What about EmpTV? It obviously mocks the corporation formerly known for music and references The Buggles.
DAVE: This song is about nostalgia. It is about the good old days when TV and music used to talk to people using different languages, but bringing out the best of one another. There once was our favorite TV channel, namely MTV, which used to share the best music, the epic lifestyle and the videoclips which became iconic for more than one generation of music lovers. It was all about the music and the feeling of belonging to a magical era. Then things started to change due to a progressive shift in meanings and the stories that we used to love started to slowly disappear to make room for a whole new world made of reality shows. This damaged the feeling of belonging and the way we used to identify ourselves with places, songs, fashion and people until it all sadly became empty.

METALLIAN: Could you elaborate on what you mean by "progressive shift in meanings"? I want to make sure that I understand you.
DAVE: Our generation grew up with values and certainties which we no longer recognize in the contemporary era of communication. Everything is based on appearances now and fast content. Kids don't take the time anymore just to sit down and enjoy something like a record or a book nowadays and what was considered cool back in the days is now boring or too demanding.

METALLIAN: Walking On The Wire and Fool's Paradise are seriously hard rocking songs. Would you elaborate on these as my favourites? By the way, regarding Fool's Paradise, it came across as influenced by Dirty Weapons and Killer Dwarfs.
DAVE: They are the two fastest songs on the album and there's a lot of energy when we play them live. The riffs hit hard, the rhythm section drives it forward relentlessly. They are the kind of songs that just beg to be played loud. I can't tell you if they are my favourites because it's difficult for me to choose, but yes they rock real hard.
Of course, Killer Dwarfs are present in my CD collection and, together with all the other bands I've been listening to over the years, have somehow influenced my way of writing and composing music.

METALLIAN: OK, let's move on to word, or name, association. Here we'll have some fun by having you react to several names and take your thoughts and opinions on them. First is Ratt.
DAVE: Pure Sunset Strip energy! Warren DeMartini is one of my favourite guitarists ever. Out Of The Cellar, Invasion Of Your Privacy and Detonator are absolutely gems!

METALLIAN: What about L.A. Guns?
DAVE: Together with GNR they were the kings of the street metal scene. I remember listening to the first self-titled album and Cocked & Loaded a lot.

METALLIAN: Judas Priest.
DAVE: Legends. If you love heavy metal, you owe something to Priest.

METALLIAN: Japanese heavy metal veterans Anthem.
DAVE: Sorry I don't know them.

METALLIAN: Finally, Cream's third album from 1968.
DAVE: Do you mean that album that's called like my band's name? Cream is not my cup of tea (smiles).

METALLIAN: Dave, is there any news you could share with us? What is next with the band?
DAVE: There’s a lot happening with the band right now. We’ve been riding the energy from our latest release and the response has been incredible. We’re really grateful for the support. We’re gearing up for future live shows and we really hope to play as much as possible.

METALLIAN: Finally, everyone in Italy, and the rest of the world, believes that Metallian is the best site for music bar none. Why do you also agree?
DAVE: Well, that’s an easy one. Because Metallian lives and breathes real heavy music! It’s one of the few places where passion, deep knowledge and a true appreciation for rock and metal come together. Top quality interviews and the dedication to both legendary and underground bands make it a must-read for any serious fan. So, If you love rock and metal, you know you are in the right place!

Davide "Dave Rox" Barbieri is not only articulate, but he obviously knows a thing or two. The band has also had its album released through Rubicon Music in Japan. This edition features a bonus track called Right Or Wrong. Guitarist Stefano Zeni, bassist Simon Dredo, drummer Fabrizio Uccellini and Dave can be contacted through info@wheelsoffireofficial.com and have a website at www.wheelsoffireofficial.com.

If you enjoyed this, read Louderyell

Wheels Of Fire