SEVENTH WONDER are among the most amazing melodic progressive metal acts from the last two decades. Frontiers Music will reissue the long out of print first four studio albums from the Swedish Progressive Metal masters: “Become”, “Waiting In The Wings”, “Mercy Falls”, and “The Great Escape”.
Seventh Wonder was formed in 2000 by bassist Andreas Blomqvist, guitarist Johan Liefvendahl, and drummer Johnny Sandin after their previous band fell apart. The music they were writing and playing quickly turned towards progressive metal. Two demos were recorded and the latter caught the attention of Lion Music, who signed the band. That collaboration spawned the first Seventh Wonder album, ‘Become’, which was released in 2005.
“Waiting In The Wings” is Seventh Wonder’s second studio album, the first release to feature the brilliant Tommy Karevik (Kamelot, ex-Vindictiv) on vocals.
Considering the time between albums (one year), one wouldn’t expect a follow-up to ‘Become’ to be much more than a slight improvement. Yet one listen to the introductory track, “Star of David,” immediately smacks the listener awake. This isn’t just an improvement, it’s damn-close to an overhaul!
Sure, much of what defined ‘Become’ does, admittedly, define ”Waiting in the Wings”, though mainly from a conceptual standpoint. Bouncy bass notes remain a distinct, up-front aspect of the music, such that it almost fights for all of the spotlight. What makes this particularly note-worthy is how much of an influence we see the bass guitar cast on everything else.
Normally bands resign their bassists to provide simple, rhythmic backing, allowing other instruments to stand out with ease. Here the tables are turned. Andreas Blomqvist doesn’t groove the tracks up so much as he lays a critical foundation for the rest of the music to stem from; you truly feel like the music is built and fueled by the bass.
Even at its simplest, ”Waiting in the Wings” has the backbone of something more eccentric, like a pinball on acid bouncing around an introverted metalhead’s body. And the metalhead is somewhere between buzzed and tipsy.
This characteristic is all the more welcome when one remembers that Seventh Wonder are, at their core, a progressive metal band. Title track aside, however, ”Waiting in the Wings” isn’t prone to egregious song structures. A standard dosage of verses, choruses and other refrains are clear and present throughout, leaving plenty of harmonious flash to sparkle anyone’s speakers (or headphones). The degree to which they take such flashiness borders on extra-sensory, such that listeners may feel a palpable sense of ditzy-ness.
Overall enjoyment is seldom a concern, but one begins to long for a tighter sense of control when so much is on full-blast.
To that end, Seventh Wonder are definitely on the melodic side, borderline dipping into prog metal from an instrumental standpoint. Key to this little oddity is the prominence of light-hearted keyboards and zealous vocalization.
Tommy Karevik is Seventh Wonder’s ultimate blessing. His ability to sustain strong notes with simultaneous power and serenity is the absolute embodiment of a godsend. Other qualities certainly bring ”Waiting in the Wings” up for any listener’s consideration, but Tommy sends it into an even higher echelon.
Much of what enabled Tommy to bestow his then-newfound group (and subsequent listeners) with such grace was the bolstered production. Here, the soul is alive and thriving. No instrument feels left out, even when others are taking the time to shine. Instead of feeling drained and strangled, ”Waiting in the Wings” sees Seventh Wonder jumping off the walls like teenagers drinking espresso for the first time.
It may lead to a certain amount of excess, but you’ll have a great time while it lasts.
Time is a kind gift, and we don’t always need a lot of it to achieve something great. With ”Waiting in the Wings”, Seventh Wonder achieved a triple-knockout: one for Tommy, one for production and one for refinement.
Their second outing is, above all else, a sensation. It’s ripe with life, tangible whenever it carries heft (“Pieces”) or flies on a whim (“Not An Angel”), the latter being abundantly dominant.
Full-bodied and eccentric, Seventh Wonder’s essence remains intact here, showcasing one of the brightest examples of colorful progressive metal.
HIGHLY Recommended
1. Star Of David
2. Taint The Sky
3. Waiting In The Wings
4. Banish The Wicked
5. Not An Angel
6. Devil`s Inc
7. Walking Tall
8. The Edge Of My Blade
9. Pieces
Tommy Karevik – vocals
Johan Liefvendahl – guitars
Andreas Blomqvist – bass
Andreas Söderin – keyboards
Johnny Sandin – drums
SEVENTH WONDER – Waiting In The Wings [Frontiers Records Reissue] (2023) , MP3+FLAC
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