Seven7: Under Eye

What would happen if Steve Vai joined Pantera, or Fear Factory? Well probably Seven7! Hailing from London England, Seven7 have served up with their second album Under Eye an exciting mixture of brutal Metal riffage, precise Progressive power and virtuoso guitar playing that shredders will wee themselves over. Add to that crackling, harsh vocals, roaming bass and pinpoint drumming and Under Eye becomes a rather impressive beast.

Tribal rhythms, classical sections and Japanese Folk Music are also thrown into the pot and while that brew may sound like a confused concoction, the results are instead rather intoxicating. Arran McSporran (yes I know he sounds like a Scottish Hanna Barbera cartoon character) provides throbbing fretless bass, while Pete Riley adds mighty percussive swathes in the shape of straight ahead double kick mayhem and intricate tribal patterns. However it is Brown's vocals, which sit somewhere between Phil Anselmo and James Hetfiled and the Vinnie Moore like guitar work from Nicolas Meier that turns Under Eye from being just another Metal album, into a more interesting proposition. Other than wandering rhythmic movements, opener "The Ice Man" sets out to prove Seven7's Metal credentials, something that the likes of "Blood Stains" confirms. However it all comes with scything, shredding guitar work of the highest order.

Not content with that, "You Can Have It" is based round the traditional Japanese Folk song "Sakura" (a piece of music I first heard used as the music-box intro to Bon Jovi's "Tokyo Road" - but don't let that put you off!). The guitars mimic the traditional themes, but in an altogether more aggressive fashion, making for an evocative, if brutal punch. Taking things a step further "Forgive" actually contains a classical section of "The Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy", which is then pummelled into the ground in mighty fashion. I know it all sounds like it must be more than a little contrived, but the fact that Seven7 pull all of this off in completely convincing style, tells you the skill and potency this band possess. Add to that the strongly Prog-Metal tones of "Under Eye", the tribal call and response of "Run" and the dramatic and ultra-melodic "Boy Drowns Girl", where the guitars burn once more and Under Eye really is an impressive collection.

Taking Progressive Metal and shoving a stick of virtuoso dynamite under its ass, Seven7 have created an album as likely to appeal to out and out Metal fans as it is the Progressive crowd. Intense, intricate and impressive, Under Eye is one of the most interesting Metal albums I've heard in quite a while.

Track Listing
1. The Ice Man
2. Boy Drowns Girl
3. Three Days
4. Run
5. Blood Stains
6. You Can Have It
7. Wannabe
8. Forgive
9. Under Eye

Added: April 14th 2012
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Seven7 Online
Hits: 2737
Language: english

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