Mason Hill – ‘World So Wonderful’ album review
Reviewed by Gareth Griffiths
“You can’t just be a museum piece. You have to keep creating, recording and evolving.”
These words are attributed to the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, who was known for pushing the band to embrace new sounds rather than remaining in their comfort zone. It takes a brave band to reinvent themselves, stepping away from the sound that cemented their reputation and built a fanbase but sometimes, it can be the catalyst for something special… and that’s the feeling with Mason Hill’s upcoming new album, World So Wonderful.
Since bursting back onto the scene with new vocalist Tom Ward and a bold new sound debuted in the singles ‘Remember’, ‘Twisted’ and ‘Hurricane’, the much-loved Scottish rockers have built anticipation for their new album to a frenzied level with high energy live shows around the UK and glitzy music videos. But for old fans and new fans alike, the wait is almost over, with World So Wonderful due to be unleashed on 23rd October 2026.
It’s been a long and winding road for founding member James Bird (guitar), Craig McFetridge (drums), Matthew Ward (bass) and Marc Montgomery (guitar) but the addition of Tom Ward on vocals provided an opportunity to refocus and re-energise. Can that be replicated in the music on World So Wonderful?
Opener ‘Burn It Down’ continues the bold new sound of heavy, dark, almost industrial sounding nu-metal heard on the first three singles. The intro and verses will shake your speakers and burst your headphones, undoubtedly sparking interest in the metal purists who previously considered Mason Hill as “too soft and too hard rock” whilst the melodic chorus should be enough to placate the band’s original fanbase. ‘Twisted’ was the second single released by the new incarnation of the band and it very much builds on the template of dark, heavy opening with a melodic chorus that showcases the extraordinary flexibility of Tom Ward’s voice; spitting out lyrics viciously one minute before soaring to great heights the next. As I said in my review of the single earlier this year, imagine Creed in their arena-bothering heyday and mix it with current day Alter Bridge… and then turn up the heaviness considerably!
Third single ‘Hurricane’ is also the third track on the album and appears to tell the story of love for a dangerous woman! The riffs get faster, harder and heavier as the song goes on, with a well-placed guitar solo that doesn’t outstay its welcome and a rock-solid foundation for the riffs anchored by the rhythm section of drums and bass. ‘Tainted Wings’ is ready made for arenas with a modern, muscular riff and a stellar hard rock chorus. It’s the kind of song that could do very well with US audiences and there’s a “whoa, oh” in the chorus, which always goes down well with rock fans in a live setting!
The volume and tempo drop for ‘Stay a Little While’, a superb mid-tempo song that’s an ‘almost ballad’ and will appeal to lovers of Mason Hill’s fan favourite ‘Where I Belong’. There’s a real commercial edge to the song and I envisage it doing well with radio play if picked up by the rock radio stations. Normal service resumes with ‘Resonate’, which includes some low growling vocals that could very well split the fans but complements the general feel of the track and is very much in line with the new Mason Hill sound. ‘Without You’ has some heavy, frenzied riffing that leads to another classy, modern, melodic chorus, some punchy, angry vocals that Fred Durst would’ve been proud of back in his heyday and a glorious guitar solo.
There’s nothing quiet about ‘Silence’, with an opening riff that’ll rattle your eardrums without any warning or build up (perhaps pre-warn granny that it’s coming if she happens to be sitting next to you on the couch!) and a relentless, fast pace that will leave you fairly breathless. ‘Oxygen’ is probably the nearest to the Mason Hill of old with a slightly less dark vibe and a lighter feel to the riff but the following track ‘Remember’, the first single from the album, acts as a stark reminder that this is new Mason Hill with heavy, chunky, almost down-tuned riffs and a modern, nu-metal sound. The ethereal sounding opening to album closer ‘Drag the Chains’, along with some pretty piano, is shattered by low growl vocals and dark, down-tuned power chords and that light-dark/soft-heavy interplay continues throughout the song, once again ably demonstrating the versatility of Tom Ward’s voice. It’s a good song to end on, with the ethereal sounding keyboards slowly fading away into the distance, signalling that its job done for Mason Hill and World So Wonderful. It’s over to the critics and fans now!
Let me be brutally honest - this album will alienate and split some original Mason Hill fans and some may even wish the band a fond farewell, preferring to retain memories of the old days. The bold new sound is much heavier with riffs so muscular that you’ll swear they’ve gone to the musical gym and partaken in steroids! The darker vibe, the low growl vocals, the down-tuned guitar sound… it’s just not what the band was originally built on. But as Keith Richards said, you’ve got to create and evolve and that’s exactly what Mason Hill have done on World So Wonderful. The songs still have melody and air-punching sensibilities that should please longtime fans of the more traditional hard-rock sound they once peddled but the heavier, darker, more modern vibe makes the music a lot more prominent in an overcrowded rock and metal musical market. I’m certain that Mason Hill will attract and wow new fans, expanding their reach into new territories around the globe where the modern nu-metal sound and shiny, polished production will be enthusiastically embraced.
World So Wonderful is a gamble. But it’s a gamble that will pay off. Welcome to the reinvention of Mason Hill.