Promising debut, but second album is much better
Murat Batmaz | Istanbul, Turkey | 06/10/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Swedish melodic progressive metal band Seventh Wonder released their debut album, Become, in 2005, and while the CD was a good effort, especially for a first album, it didn't get the attention of many fans. It wasn't until their second album Waiting in the Wings came out that people began to take notice of this great band, as that album hints at their tremendous potential and what these guys are truly capable of.
Become is in many ways a good album, but it does lack in production at times. The lack of consistency is quite apparent, given some truly uplifting cuts are side by side with less than stellar pieces which could have been further developed. Primarily driven by guitarist Johan Liefvendahl, keyboardist Andreas Soderin, and bassist Andreas Blomqvist, Seventh Wonder writes songs that are equal parts prog, neoclassical, and melodic metal. The album opener "Day by Day", also the very first song they ever wrote five years before the release of this disc, is a strongly developed cut, centred around classically themed guitar arpeggios, smooth keyboards, and powerful vocals. Vocalist Andi Kravljaca's delivery is in a similar mould to Goran Edman and Michael Eriksen, and he is a very fitting element to this album. However, shortly after the recording of this album, he was replaced by current singer Tommy Karevik, also a great singer and one of the factors why their sophomore album is such a success.
Highlights of this debut include the terrific guitar and keyboard duel of "Like Him", a midtempo song featuring a crystal clear guitar solo and solid drum sound. This is no surprise considering the engineering was done by none other than Daniel Flores, among Sweden's most hardworking drummers and sound engineers. Also worth mentioning is Blomqvist's pronounced bass lines throughout the whole CD -- it is certainly great to hear the bass so vividly through the entire record, something terribly missing on many a prog band's albums. The neoclassical shred of "Damned" evokes Yngwie Malmsteen, particularly taking into account the straightforward double bass drumming, but there is some cool riffery present as well. I, however, favour the slightly fusiony touch of "Temple in the Storm", which is a darker song with Journey-like arrangements and a beautiful acoustic guitar part. The ending of the song is sadly underdeveloped, however. The chorus is repeated simply too many times and the fade-out ending doesn't do the song justice.
Without doubt, the most complete song on this disc is "What I've Become", hinting at the band's more refined songwriting on their next record. Nearing nine minutes, it begins with spoken vocals in a different language and then picks up classical orchestrations underlying gorgeous sweep guitar melodies wrung through odd-metered soundscapes. This was actually the very last song the band wrote, and everything about it suggests a sense of growth and maturity, further explored on the second disc. The European version of the CD contains a bonus track, but I wouldn't consider it essential by any means.
Become was a remarkable start for Seventh Wonder; it's an album fans of Dream Theater, Kamelot, Circus Maximus, and Royal Hunt may enjoy, all for different reasons. From interesting classical sections to challenging instrumental parts to AOR-like vocals that also have no problem doing the high-pitched wailing, this disc definitely deserves more attention than it has so far received."
Progressive pop?
ex-rocker | 07/14/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"These guys can play and sing, but this is NOT a progressive metal album. Though described as prog metal several places on the internet, the album is closer to Air Supply or Journey than metal of any sort. If you like a bright, somewhat tinny sound, and mix emphasis on the vocals, you might like this a lot. The talent is there, but only a few cuts (late in the album) try for a prog metal approach, and those fall short. A boomer who remembers the old, prog band Starcastle would enjoy this band- it sounds SO early 80's. If you are looking for pro metal (with the real emphasis on a European prog sound) try the Polish band Riverside. If you like lighter music, this may be your cup of tea."
Incredible!
Dale Foster | Austn, TX | 03/27/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wow! here's another example that metal and shred aren't dead, it's just over seas. Seventh Wonder is from Sweden and these guys shred. If you love Angra, Fates Warning, Symphony X, or just love smart music, then check these guys out!
Very intelligent songwriting backed by super charged musicians! These guys are young but you'd never guess it by listening. They use really suberb phrasing with odd time sigs through out the cd. Nice layered vocals with harmonies keep things melodic without losing any of the metal edge. These guys are hungry! These songs are packed with energy. Remember how explosive Dream Theater's Images and Words was? Seventh Wonder's Become cd has that same kind of energy and talent! There's not a bad song on this whole cd. The production is crystal, only making this cd that much more phenomenal! There's tons of instrumentation (solos) through out this cd. Don't let that discourage you, all these songs are very rememberable. Man, these guys are Great! They are currently recording cd #2. Which I'm highly looking forward to. Do yourself a progged metal favor and buy this cd.
Other excellent progged metal bands to check out are: Circus Maximus and Solid Vision."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1
