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Seventh Wonder - The Great Escape CD (album) cover

THE GREAT ESCAPE

Seventh Wonder

 

Progressive Metal

4.05 | 268 ratings

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SevDawg
5 stars When I compare "The Great Escape" to "Mercy Falls", their previous album, I don't know which one is better or which one I like more. "The Great Escape" is definitely a song-oriented album with catchy choruses and impressive instrumental sections. It's SEVENTH WONDER's first album to feature a song that breaks the 10-minute mark.

The intro song, "Wiseman", is a song that grew on me as I listened to the album more and more. My impression is that nothing had really changed since "Mercy Falls", they were as good as ever and the typical SEVENTH WONDER. Of course there is a different feel in this album than in "Mercy Falls". As for the song, "Wiseman" has the SEVENTH WONDER catchy vocal melodies and complex solos.

"Alley Cat" is probably their most radio friendly song and my second favorite song on the album. Vocals are very clean and powerful (like pop meets metal in a good way). "Alley Cat" arguably has the most enjoyable riff and vocal melody on the album making it an addicting song.

"The Angelmaker" is the second longest song on the album. I think it's your average SEVENTH WONDER song; it's very good. Instrumental parts in "The Angelmaker" reminds me of parts in the albums' epic title track "The Great Escape". Intense solo midway through.

"King of Whitewater" has vocal melodies that are so good that it's addicting. The orchestral elements in the song (strings and such) are a nice touch. Also the violin near the end (or string instrument such as that) ties the song together and makes this one of the top songs of the album.

"Long Way Home" is the least best track on the album. It's a ballad of sorts with nice piano and acoustic parts. The acoustic solo is something rare in SEVENTH WONDER so it's really neat to hear on "Long Way Home". The reason why I say it's like a ballad is because heavy riffs enter around the 3 minute mark. The guest vocalist that sings in the background with Tommy Karevik is a nice touch. Overall a solid song.

"Move on Through", cool bass intro by Andreas Blomqvist in the beginning. The bass guitar needs more attention in progressive metal and Blomqvist gets the job done. If anything this would be the best track in terms of SEVENTH WONDER bass prowess, coupled with the heavy guitar and keyboard synth solo.

"The Great Escape", I find that if epics start with acoustic intros then the songs will automatically be great. As for epics, some bands do it right and others do it wrong. Some add so-called "fluff" to their epics to get it to that 20-minute mark, but SEVENTH WONDER did it right for their 30:14 epic. "The Great Escape" is never boring. The track is a concept song based on the poems 'Aniara'. The intro track "Wiseman" I believe is a prequel to "The Great Escape" and it tells the events leading up to the title track. For me "The Great Escape" is one of the most exciting and thrilling songs I know, and I definitely consider it my favorite of all time. This is the first song for SEVENTH WONDER to break the 10-minute mark (the closest one was "Break the Silence" which is 9:29) and they produce a half hour song. Musically "The Great Escape" is the best song they've ever produced in terms of quality. Everything is top notch: Karevik's singing is at its best, guitar riffs and solos are complex and melodic, keyboard/synth fills and solos are great, Andreas Blomqvist shreds the bass, and the drumming is calculated (not over the top and the fills are good). The song is very progressive and diverse and has many sections (13 parts I believe), which makes for a good listen. Every time I listen to this song I find something that I missed before, which is something I really value in progressive music. The acoustic at the end is just so awesome. This is an excellent close to the album and will definitely make you come back for more.

This album is definitely a masterpiece. From "Mercy Falls" you can definitely see a progression for SEVENTH WONDER while maintaining their sound. They finally produced a song over 10 minutes in length and they did so in excellent execution. Every song has something new to offer and is very enjoyable. This is definitely an album that grows on you as you listen to it more and more. Highly recommended to any progressive/power metal fan.

SevDawg | 5/5 |

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