Originating in 2010 as a muscular, no-holds-barred, blue-collar hard rock unit, Detroit's
Wilson built their reputation on the grass-roots level through heavy touring and key shows and festival dates with the likes of
GWAR,
Theory of a Deadman, and
All That Remains. Built on a foundation of pure, analog-driven sonic might, the band's first two studio albums invoked names like
Crobot,
Bobaflex, and
Hellyeah, but in 2018 the group underwent a hallucinogen-inspired makeover that saw them incorporate elements of hip-hop and rap-rock into the mix, and adopt a more positive -- though no less party-driven -- demeanor.
The Motor City crew formed in 2010 around the talents of
Chad Nicefield (vocals),
Jason Spencer (guitar),
Kyle Landry (guitar),
James Lascu (bass), and
Matt Puhy (drums). They issued their debut album, the aptly named
Fullblast Fuckery, in 2013 via Dine Alone. The LP caught the attention of Razor & Tie, who signed the group the following year.
Wilson's sophomore studio long-player,
Right to Rise, dropped in June of 2015, followed by a U.K./European tour alongside
Halestorm and
Nothing More.
Before heading back into the studio to begin recording their third full-length effort, vocalist
Chad Nicefield traveled to Asia with some friends and had a revelatory acid trip. His outlook on
Wilson and their music changed dramatically, with
Nicefield explaining that "I just kind of realized who we are as people and our DNA was that of a bunch of lovable, silly dudes, that love to make music." The resulting
Tasty Nasty, which was released in 2018, was a full-tilt yet nostalgia-driven and self-deprecating affair that married the hedonistic bar-band swagger of the group's earlier outings with hip-hop, post-grunge, and
Limp Bizkit-ian nu metal. ~ James Christopher Monger