Seventh Wonder - The Great Escape

[Vicious Robbie]

Swedish prog act Seventh Wonder are a mystery to me and I mean mystery as a compliment. I am not much of a prog fan but these guys have a way of mixing musicianship with hooks that I can remember for days. I know I am going to catch a lot of heat for this but Mercy Falls was not an album that blew me away, it was just ok. Yet, it was not a bad album by any stretch. I am happy that they are back with new material and The Great Escape is a fine addition to their catalog.

Wiseman kicks off things right away with a driving rhythm and it all comes together the moment Tommy Karevik starts singing. This guy has a wonderful tone and the vocal lines that he comes up with are superb. Alley Cat proves it and this is the catchiest song in the entire album and it's not as if the guys are trying to keep it simple, there is some busy playing going on but the focus is always in the song. The Angelmaker is not one of my favorites but it does the job well. King of Whitewater is another highlight and it flows fantastically throughout amidst some intricate passages yet the vocal lines will keep a smile on your face for days. Long Way Home is the ballad and it serves its purpose yet Move On Through brings us back to the quality material these guys can deliver. The title track is the main opus here and at 30 minutes long it might be too much for some people ( I was one of them) but for those that love this type of epic songs I don't see why you shouldn't love this track. It's a roller coaster ride to say the least.

I really liked this album much more than Mercy and if you have been following this band closely I know you will love it too. This album should bring them up in the prog metal ranks. Great production and songwriting skills throughout this puppy. Recommended :Smokin:

Tommy Karevik - Vocals
Johan Liefvendahl - Guitar
Andreas Söderin - Keyboards
Andreas Blomqvist - Bass

 

[carnut]

I have listend to it a couple of times the past days and for sure it is much better than "Mercy Falls", maybe even as good as "Waiting in the Wings" (and that's a prog metal monster too!). Will end up in my top 3 for 2010 !!

 

[Hawk]

I like this album as well. A lot I might say. I really regard it as a comeback because I did not like 'Mercy Falls' that much.

Tommy Karevik has to be one of my favorite vocalists. Highly recommended!

 

[Bryant]

I really like the singer of the band, but I am not real big into their style. Maybe I will like this one better, but other than the title track, I wasn't huge on Mercy Falls. They were well liked at PPUSA X1, but I thought DGM crushed those guys. They were much more energetic live.

Bryant

 

[Wyvern]

I listened a couple of times but it failed to make me invest in it for the time being. Not sure if it sounds better than MF to me, it's all the same to my ears.

I'm much more into the new Agents Of Mercy and Tetrafusion albums that just arrived.