As much as we hate to cause band members’ heads to swell, in this case our initial interest in the band Seven7 was piqued by the fact that excellent bassist Arran McSporran was involved. For those who have not encountered Arran before, Arran is notable for being one of the few bassists in the metal world playing fretless bass and he is also notable because he is a member of the stunning De profundis. If you have not encountered the latter band, take a brief break from reading this and listen to everything they have ever done then come back and listen to Seven7 because what both bands share (aside from bassists) is an unswerving dedication to quality. Seven7 are a UK-based progressive metal band with a multinational line-up. Alongside Arran there is the Swiss guitar maestro Nicolas Meier, the Australian violinist Sally Jo and the London-based Dave Brown (vocals) and Luke Nelson (Drums). Together the band make some of the most sublimely exciting progressive metal currently being played and this dense, eight-track record, ‘the follower’ showcases the ambitious, frighteningly capable nature of the band to the full. The band’s third effort, ‘the follower’ is a near-masterpiece of controlled aggression and wild progressive excess.
The album opens with ‘Palms’, a riff-driven beast that does not shy away from being heavy but which employs a good deal of light and shade to emphasize the monumental power the band can bring to bear. Immediately the band mark themselves out as being leaders and not followers. There are none of the opeth-robbing tropes so often found in modern progressive metal today and the band are more keenly aligned to Australian tech-metallers Alchemist than they are to the current crop of Swede-influenced bands. Dave has a powerful voice that roams the hinterland between James Hetfield and Layne Staley and the band use his abilities to the full with dense layers of harmonies augmenting his fearsome bark. However, it is Nicolas Meier who really captures the light. His uniquely jazzy progressions are far more akin to the work of Jeff Beck and John Mclaughlin than anything traditionally metal, and his stunning progressions provide the music with much of what makes it unique. ‘Free’ has an awkward syncopated beat and Luke Nelson demonstrates his skill as the band unleash dark, riffs in a menacing mix of Alice in chains and meshuggah. ‘Fall’ opens with a stunning display of Luke’s percussive might before the riffs come flooding in like a metallic tsunami. Split between out-and-out aggression and a rich melody delivered with a power rarely heard outside of Nick Holmes’ performance on ‘draconian times’, this is progressive metal as it should be – carefully conceived and yet delivered with both precision and power, appealing as much to the heart as it does to the head and invoking primal instincts first and foremost. The title track is up next with a brief ethereal intro giving way to a huge, surging riff delivered at a snail’s pace and providing a neat contrast to the harder, faster material found elsewhere. A subtle, yet still complex, piece of work, ‘the follower’ is an album highlight that slowly builds up a satisfyingly brutal head of steam and despite the song’s slower feel, there’s no denying the power that course through it.
With its syncopated rhythms and crushing central riff, ‘Magic box’ is a beast of a track that shows how the band can groove, only for things to get somewhat weird with the contorted ‘business’ which sounds like what would happen if Dillinger Escape Plan united with Zakk Wylde to cover Limp Bizkit. Awkward, twisted and powerful it’s quite distinct from the other songs here and it has a strange power that is all its own, not to mention a chorus that could be used in demolition jobs. One of my favourite classical pieces of all time, ‘O Fortuna’ (from Carl Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’) is given the metal treatment as an introduction ‘Euthanasia’ and it is very cool, not least because if any piece of classical music ever deserved to be given such a through working over then this is it. However, it has also been done before in a very similar fashion by Therion which, unfortunately, lessons the impact. Moreover the actual song, ‘euthanasia’ bears little resemblance to the piece, except when it overlays the chorus, and the result is a strange juxtaposition that, whilst frighteningly well executed is something of a wild card that would, perhaps, have been a better bonus track than included as part of the album proper. The album ends, however, on a high note with ‘why?’, a crushing mix of bruising alternative rock and progressive metal that offers up evil, writhing riffs that wouldn’t sound out of place on a toll record and twisted vocal harmonies. It is a fitting conclusion to the album and it leaves you firmly wanting more.
Overall it is impossible not to be impressed by Seven7. Clearly talented musicians, the band time and again step outside of the expected to deliver a set of songs that are refreshingly and memorably different. In Nicolas Meir the band have unearthed a fearsome talent and his jazzy lead breaks help to raise the band above the ordinary. Of the tracks here, only ‘Euthanasia’ feels like a misstep, with the link between the classical masterpiece and the band’s original track somewhat tenuous. It’s still enjoyable, make no mistake, but it does not come up to the lofty standard of the other material on offer here. Overall, however, ‘the follower’ is a powerful and well-executed album that will satisfy those who like their metal to offer power and provoke thought. Highly recommended.
