WICKED Set to Unleash Go Rebel Ahead of UK Ireland Tour
- timcaple
- Aug 11
- 7 min read
New York hard rockers WICKED are setting up a loud August. The band will release their sophomore album, _Go Rebel_, on 21 August 2026, before heading to the UK and Ireland for a seven-date tour with Kings Of Thrash the venues are perfect the music will be loud !!
and the sweat will be dripping.
The new record lands with 13 tracks of melodic, high-energy hard rock and heavy metal, built for big choruses, sharp guitars, and sweat-soaked rooms. WICKED are pitching _Go Rebel_ as a celebration record, the kind that reaches back into classic rock’s golden eras while still sounding wired for modern stages.
Go Rebel arrives on 21 August 2026
_Go Rebel_ is WICKED’s second full-length album, and the band are going big with it. Across 13 songs, the album promises the sort of rock that feels made for car stereos and thats cassette and 8 track only no cd's here , club stages, festival tents, and late-night volume.
The announcement frames WICKED as a band chasing a specific feeling: classic rock power with a street-level punch. That comes through in the way they describe the album, with muscle-car imagery, leather-and-studs attitude, and a sound that draws from glam, power pop, hard rock, and heavy metal.
“We wanted to make a rock album that could be the soundtrack for the scene. Something you put your leather & studs on for, roll your windows down, crank up and celebrate to.” Danny, WICKED
That quote gets straight to the point. _Go Rebel_ is not being presented as a cautious studio exercise. It is a party record with bite, built around riffs, hooks, and the kind of choruses that are meant to come back louder from the crowd.
For fans searching for the moment when Wicked from New York release new album Go Rebel, the key date is now clear: 21 August 2026.
The full Go Rebel tracklist
WICKED have confirmed a 13-song tracklist for the album, leaning into the lucky number with a set that moves between heavier melodic cuts, faster punk-influenced tracks, and a guitar-driven ballad.
Track number | Song title |
1 | Teen Riot |
2 | Reaper Calls |
3 | Sunflower |
4 | Red Hot |
5 | Obsession |
6 | Go Rebel |
7 | Cool Bars |
8 | Strikes Like Lightning |
9 | Bones |
10 | Tonight, Maybe |
11 | Who Do You Love |
12 | Taking You Back |
13 | Till You’re In Love |
The titles alone point to a record with plenty of range. “Teen Riot” suggests the faster, punk-charged side of the band. “Reaper Calls”, “Obsession”, and “Bones” sound like the heavier, darker corners. “Till You’re In Love” has been described as a guitar-driven ballad, giving the album a change of pace before the final hit.
WICKED have already warmed up the release cycle with singles including “Obsession”, “Go Rebel”, and “Sunflower”, giving fans an early taste of the album’s mix of swagger, melody, and hard rock punch.
WICKED pull from classic rock but keep the engine modern
WICKED’s sound on _Go Rebel_ is being framed as a blend of classic rock influence and modern hard rock energy. The band cite a wide range of references, and the combination says a lot about what they are aiming for but what they don't do is just a cheap copy take the influence use it as a creative tool and thats what they do here .
There is the stomping glam-rock bounce of The Sweet, the power-pop vocal lift associated with Cheap Trick, the heavy backbeat of AC/DC, and the twin-guitar spirit tied to Thin Lizzy. Those are not small touchstones. They point towards songs that need to be memorable as well as loud.
The band’s strength, at least on paper, sits in that middle ground between melody and muscle. Some hard rock bands chase heaviness at the cost of hooks. Others lean so far into nostalgia that the songs can feel frozen in time. WICKED seem to be chasing something more flexible: old-school rock DNA with enough modern force to work in a current live setting.
“I can just hear fans of The Scorpions, Buckcherry, and The Darkness really getting loud to this album. It has so much dynamic rock ’n’ roll influence from so many great eras!” Chad Michael, WICKED
That line gives a useful map for the record. The Scorpions bring the arena-sized melodic metal reference. Buckcherry points towards sleazy, high-voltage hard rock. The Darkness add flamboyance, big vocals, and a love for classic showmanship. Put those ideas together and _Go Rebel_ starts to look like an album designed for fans who want rock to feel loud, fun, and larger than life.
The heavier songs balance the party spirit
The early description of _Go Rebel_ makes clear that it is not running on one gear. WICKED are promising a record with several moods, even if the whole thing stays rooted in anthemic rock ’n’ roll.
The heavier melodic side comes through in songs such as “Obsession”, “Reaper Calls”, and “Bones”. Those titles suggest a little menace, and that matters. A rock album built only on celebration can run out of steam if every song hits the same emotional note. Heavier tracks give the record weight. They also make the brighter hooks land harder.
Then there is “Teen Riot”, described as one of the faster, punk-inspired moments. A track like that can do a lot for an album’s pacing. It brings urgency, cuts through the mid-tempo swagger, and gives the live set a natural spark plug.
“Till You’re In Love” adds another shift. A guitar-driven ballad can be a risky move if it feels forced, but hard rock has always had room for a slow-burn closer or late-album emotional lift. If WICKED pull it off, it could give _Go Rebel_ one of its most singalong-ready moments.
The key phrase around the album is balance. Heavy songs, fast songs, hard rock anthems, and a ballad all sit on the same tracklist. That gives _Go Rebel_ the shape of a full album rather than a collection of singles.
The UK and Ireland tour with Kings Of Thrash gives the album a live runway
The timing of the album and tour matters. WICKED release _Go Rebel_ on 21 August 2026, then take that momentum into a seven-date UK and Ireland run with Kings Of Thrash.
For a hard rock band, that link between record and road is still vital. These songs are being sold as physical, loud, and communal. They make the most sense when the crowd can shout them back. The UK and Ireland dates give WICKED a chance to bring the album into rooms where fans can test the choruses in real time.
Touring with Kings Of Thrash also places WICKED in front of an audience already tuned into heavy music history. Kings Of Thrash carry a connection to classic thrash and metal culture, and that creates a useful contrast. WICKED’s glam-leaning, hook-heavy hard rock can sit alongside the sharper aggression of the headliner, giving the bill a wide but still coherent appeal.
Why Go Rebel could land with classic hard rock fans
The current rock world can be a strange place for bands with big choruses and old-school attitude. Heavy music has split into many lanes, from extreme metal and alternative rock to modern metalcore and retro revival acts. WICKED’s angle is direct. They are not hiding the classic influences. They are using them as fuel.
That could work in their favour. Plenty of listeners still want songs that feel immediate. They want guitar leads with personality, vocal hooks that stick, and drums that hit without being polished flat. _Go Rebel_ appears to aim at that appetite.
There is also a sense of character in the way the album has been introduced. The language around the record is full of motion: burnouts, windows down, leather, studs, celebration. That imagery may be old-school, but it fits the music being described. WICKED are making a case for rock as something you wear, drive to, sweat through, and gather around.
The band’s challenge will be to stand apart from their influences. Listeners can spot imitation quickly, especially in a style with such recognisable reference points. The strongest path for WICKED is to make those influences feel lived-in rather than copied. If the songs carry enough identity, the nods to The Sweet, Cheap Trick, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, The Scorpions, Buckcherry, and The Darkness become part of the fun rather than the whole story.
The singles have already started the build-up
Before the full album lands, WICKED have already started setting the tone with singles. “Obsession”, “Go Rebel”, and “Sunflower” have been used to prime the release, giving listeners several entry points into the record.
That is a smart way to introduce an album with a wide range. A title track can define the attitude. A heavier song can show the teeth. A more melodic cut can open the door for listeners who come in through the hooks first.
The title track, “Go Rebel”, carries the weight of the album’s whole idea. It suggests defiance, movement, and a refusal to play it safe. In a hard rock setting, that kind of title needs a chorus that can hold up. It has to feel like a chant, not just a phrase.
“Obsession” points towards the album’s darker melodic edge, while “Sunflower” hints at a brighter contrast. Together, those songs suggest WICKED are not trying to make 13 versions of the same riff. They are building a record with different shades of volume.
A leather-clad statement for WICKED’s next chapter
_Go Rebel_ arrives with a clear mission. WICKED want to make a rock ’n’ roll record that feels celebratory, heavy, melodic, and ready for the road. The 13-song tracklist gives them room to show speed, grit, hooks, and dynamics, while the UK and Ireland tour with Kings Of Thrash gives the album a live platform almost immediately after release.
For fans of classic hard rock with flash, drive, and guitar-first energy, 21 August 2026 is the date to mark. WICKED are not easing into their next chapter. They are kicking the door open, turning up the amps, and inviting everyone to go rebel with them.
“Go Rebel” album hits the streets on August 21, 2026 just before WICKED embarks on a 7 date UK / Ireland tour dubbed “WILD IN THE ISLES TOUR” with The Kings of Thrash. 08.25 – The Underworld – London, UK 08.26 – The Patriot – Crumlin, Wales, UK 08.27 – Queens Hall – Nuneaton, UK 08.29 – The Waterloo – Blackpool, UK 08.30 – Dolans Warehouse – Limerick, Ireland 09.01 – The Sound House – Dublin, Ireland 09.02 – Voodoo – Belfast, Ireland
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