Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Seventh One - What Should Not Be 2004 Armageddon Music reviewed by: EC

Track Listing1. Eyes Of The Nation 2. How Many Years 3. Mercenaries Call 4. Ancient Oath 5. Gallows Pole 6. Awaken Visions 7. What Should Not Be 8. Where Infinity Ends 9. Shattered Glass

It has been a rather slow year for power metal. We received some decent outputs from the likes of Primal Fear, Metallium, and Edguy, but the really big guys took a year off. 2005 should be a big year for Helloween, Grave Digger, Rage, and Running Wild, but to ease into the year we get the newest offering from Seventh One entitled "What Should Not Be".

I can easily tell you "what should not be". Seventh One should not be an obscure band. These guys are deserving of bigger and better things. They should get the same cordial treatment as the bigger acts floating around the world doing the "God Knows What" fests like the Tad Moroses and Evergreys of the scene. "What Should Not Be" is a high voltage, top notch, upper tier metal effort that few can compete with. These guys just move in and take charge, delivering a bone rattling sound through bombastic riffs and soaring vocals, all running together at a feverish pitch with some of the best production values I've heard in recent memory.

Yes, I'm talking about Seventh One, a band that unfortunately hasn't been the centerpiece of power metal discussion, but should be. This Swedish band have just released their newest record for Armageddon Music, their first for the label and first since leaving Massacre Records, home of their only other recording, "Sacrifice", the band's debut in 2002. I didn't spend much time on the group's first record. I borrowed it, liked it, and put it on my "look into buying" list with the other 4,324 records that exist there. The debut was a very strong effort much in the style of German power metal. You know the routine...fast double bass, quick chops, huge chorus parts, and a sense of melody. For some reason it never really blew me away, but I was pleased with the performance and jotted the band name and album down.

Now the band has moved on to bigger and better things in their own way, following up a solid first strike with an effective second dose, "What Should Not Be". The album is produced by Lars Ratz (Metallium), who in my opinion is quickly becoming second only to Mr. Sneap in top notch technological studio wonders. The man makes everything sound loud and proud through and through. This is no exception. Everything just thunders here, from the pounding battery, rigid bass lines, screaming guitars, and the vocal wallop of the Rino Fredh (what a great metal name!).

Musically the band fall into the same category as Metallium, but mix in some other side dishes to create that perfect meal. I can hear everything from Blind Guardian and Brainstorm to modern Helloween and even some Dream Evil. The band create powerful, modern power metal with some slight progressive arrangements. They never get too far ahead of themselves and always try to keep it simple and effective. Anyone who likes to bang the proverbial head should get an adrenaline kick here.

Just look at the wall smashing grooves on "How Many Years" and "Where Infinity Ends", both of which sound like a cross between Overkill's sonic dynamite and the raging slabs of Metallium. "Ancient Oath", "What Should Not Be", and "Eyes Of The Nation" show off a speed racer mentality, really crushing the opposition with fast riffs and soaring leads. My favorite aspect of the band is the ability to build huge walls of sound, but still taking the time to display emotional vocals and the huge chorus parts. Some of the chorus parts found here remind me of "Imaginations" era Blind Guardian or even what Persuader has been doing recently.

This is really a high class affair from top to bottom. Everything falls into place perfectly from the vocals all the way to the mix. Few bands can display this amount of power and not go over the top with it. Seventh One manages to bridle the fury and deliver an album that is easy to listen to. Based on the two albums generated by this band, these guys are deserving of much bigger things in the future. Let's hope bands like Hammerfall and Dream Evil can lead the way for this Swedish sensation!


--EC 12.20.04