THE GREAT ESCAPE (E)

The Swedish prog metal outfit Seventh Wonder offers their fourth release with The Great Escape. Finally I managed to focus my interest on this five piece. What an incredible band they are! Superb mastering of instruments and a really good vocalist, a pretty unique combination, yet a very powerful one. I will have to do some catching up on their previous albums. On the new album, the band takes their progressive influences even further by including an epic. The title track is a masterpiece of over half an hour, lyrically based on the space poem Aniara by Nobel Prize winner Harry Martinson. Sit back, turn up the volume and let yourself be blown away by the craftsmanship and the catchy melodies of Andreas Blomqvist (bass), Johan Liefvendahl (lead guitar), Tommy Karevik (vocals), Andreas Söderin (keyboards) and Johnny Sandin (drums). Karevik's voice reminds me of Roy Alder (Fates Warning) in his best days and of Nils K. Rue (Pagan's Mind). An up tempo opening in Wiseman and after the instrumental opening, heavily orchestrated by Söderin, the tempo changes to mid-tempo and you'll hear an AOR influenced piece with several nice choirs. I wonder how they do that live! Nice hooks are alternated by the same up-tempo instrumental bits as in the opening. Drums, bass, guitar and keyboards play together as tight as can be with the speed of a machine gun. The music is to be preferred by far however! The impressive range of Karevik's clear voice is emphasized right from the start of this album. The single Alley Cat might have been inspired by Don't Be Late, one of the best songs ever written and performed by Saga. Very catchy choruses and Blomqvist's bass plays along with guitarist Liefvendahl with incredible ease. Blomqvist makes it sound so easy, but for what I know this man is a bass guitar virtuoso. Because he writes part of lyrics, he's much more that just a bass player. The Angelmaker opens as a ballad with piano, bass and vocals, but with the addition of drums and guitars the sound gets a bit heavier and the track evolves into a possible second single since it got pop, rock, metal and most certainly some progressive elements as well. Near the end of the track a Symphony X like instrumental piece, displaying the superb musicianship of these guys. Solo piano and subtle orchestrations open King Of Whitewater as an intro but yet another great piece of music full of different tempos and styles ranging from pop to symphonic and from metal to folk thanks to the addition of the violin played by Arto Järvelä. The most poppy track is a beautiful ballad called Long Way Home. Söderin's piano carries the music and bass and drums accompany. Liefvendahl plays an acoustic guitar, while Karevik provides his excellent vocals and the choruses. Some parts of the melodies remind me of the Dutch outfit Kayak. Probably Karevik's sister Jenny is the additional vocalist. Again a prominent role for Blomqvist's bass, opening the track Move On Through, the man does play it like a lead guitar in the solo, accompanied by just keyboards. Than the epic: acoustic guitar and vocals as in a tear-jerking first part. Subsequently a more classical piece, mainly orchestral playing beautiful symphonic melodies, followed by an instrumental part performed by the band. Then the full band in brilliant form with classically inspired music in the vein of Symphony X. On one third of the epic a mellow truly accessible piece by the band, Söderin playing piano and providing 'strings', while Blomqvist keeps on exploring the neck of his bass, but it doesn't disturb or distract, I would say it's a trademark of Seventh Wonder! A more up-tempo piece in the middle-section with melodic but also very nimble-fingered solos by guitar, bass and keyboards while Karevik's vocals reach their upper limits. After this, seemingly a new track, because there's a short break and after this mini-pause we hear Liefvendahl plucking strings of his acoustic guitar, followed by yet another very melodic and rather slow part and a very melodic solo by Liefvendahl on the electric guitar. Then a passage heavily influenced by Dream Theater.  Heavy but still very accessible. Karevik is supported by Jenny again. The choruses sometimes have a distinct Queen-feel. As one could expect the final part is quite bombastic and orchestral but Liefvendahl's acoustic guitar makes the circle round again.

The Great Escape is quite an experience to listen to while influences of bands like Symphony X and Dream Theater are clearly detectable, but also the band plays beautiful melodies like Kansas, Saga or Kayak and choruses like Queen. The promotional information talks about Seventh Wonder taking their music to the next level and I really believe that's true. The successor to their concept album Mercy Falls is a truly nice addition to the genre of progressive metal at it's very best. I'm convinced that this band might become the heirs to the throne of Dream Theater, although this band is not done yet. They could be called the European counterpart of Symphony X and especially for fans of more technically challenging metal, fronted by a male vocalist with a clear voice and an impressive range, this album is definitely worth checking out. Production is quite okay. All instruments can be heard exquisitely, although I would have loved a bit more depth in the drums and even slightly heavier guitars. Technically the band can compete with the very best bands worldwide and I'm convinced these five Swedish musicians are capable of achieving even more than this already very impressive album. The Great Escape might well be my favorite prog metal album of 2010!