C. Wired: Angel Circuit Engaged Review – Heavy Grooves and Positive Moods

Hot off the heels of his last EP Omega, free-wheeling Sage of Song C. Wired is back with Angel Circuit Engaged. A decidedly heavier tone for C. Wired, the EP goes hard with the guitar and percussion which was downplayed but hinted at on Omega. The sound and feel of C. Wired isn’t at all compromised in this album however and his smooth vocal range goes well on top of the heavier riffs and louder drums. The overall themes of improvement, determination, and self-discovery echo louder than anything else as he nails down the versatility of his C. Wired sound.

Stand-out track “Climb the mountain” is like a hard-rock wild ride. The song seems to have its own personality because at one point you may think the song is about to end, only to realize it’s just a breakdown into the outro of the song. Lyrically the song is all about C. Wired’s journey to this point in his career. Lyrics like “search and you’ll find a more disciplined mind” go hand in hand with the overall theme of his entire “Omega” theme. Though lines such as “progressive evolution, nothing accidental. Peaceful solutions, it’s all fundamental” truly speak to his history in the music industry and state of mind for this album.

“Angels Are Not Afraid Of The Dark” is another track that puts C. Wired’s pedigree on full display. His ability to start with a dark and almost menacing instrumental, then transition into a more upbeat one is impressive. It gives the track a unique personality and a feeling of progression that adds charm to the track. Lines such as “dark man standin’ on the balcony lookin’ down on me, temptin’ me with easy money. Not this time, baby!” Speaks to his time in the industry and about how his mentality has changed. “Angels Are Not Afraid Of The Dark” is thematically the strongest song on the album due to the heavy themes of acceptance and change that started in his first EP.

One of the best basslines and biggest criticism of the album lies within the track “Little Sisters.” Instrumentally this track is great, with a beat that is carried by a great bassline that really shows off the instrumental talent of C. Wired. Though this song along with a few others attempts a more sensual theme which is unfortunately eclipsed by the heavy instrumental focus. With lines such as “Come on little darlin’ assume the position” evoking a more Motley Crue feel, it is the instrumentals that carry that sort of attitude. Nothing in this track or any of the other tracks that hold this same sub-theme are lyrically engaging. In fact, they sound more like a reason to make a song heavy or groovy and show of more of his instrumental prowess.

Overall, this new C. Wired album is a great step in the right direction. It is a showing of him as a musician with all his experience on display. The versatility of the sound of he has coined for himself is shown here, being pushed into a more of a hard rock dimension while retaining the groovy and soulful feel of his previous album. All of the tracks have personality and all carry a strong theme instrumentally, if not lyrically, of the evolution of exactly who and what the “Omega” phase of C. Wired is. It also retains the themes of soul-searching and the feeling that through his experiences he is relating to you, which echoes tracks on Omega such as “Getting Sober’s A Bitch.” After a listen, you will definitely want to see where he will go next.