INTO FOREVER

If you are someone who loves high-quality Swedish progressive power metal, regardless of the level of cheesiness and pretentiousness that comes along with it, the new album from 7days should be right up your alley. Even though this isn't the most revolutionary album to have ever graced my ears, it's hard to deny quality like this. The four vocalists are all marvelous, the compositions are great, and the general level of polish is truly impressive. Into Forever is a wonderful album from beginning to end on all fronts. This is one of those few albums where the sheer strength of the music can allow me to see through any clichés and shortcomings. If you like progressive power metal in the vein of Ayreon and Therion, I strongly encourage checking out Into Forever - don't miss out on this hidden gem!

The music here is, stylistically, a pretty standard prog power metal affair. Expect soaring vocals, fast double bass pedal rhythms, and bombastic keyboards. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, I think it's safe to say that you will be in heaven with Into Forever. With powerful tracks like "The Innocence In Me", "Under the Sun", "Into Forever", and the 20 minute epic "Final Wisdom", there's certainly a lot to like here. One of the best things about this album is the way it manages to make every single song memorable, without ever sounding too simplistic for its own good. With that said, the highlight in 7days is probably the vocal department for me. The use of four lead vocalists gives a lot of variation in the music, especially the female vocals from Caroline Sigfridsson. She has a fantastic voice that fits perfectly in 7days's sound. All of the instrumentalists are equally impressive, boasting impressive drum fills and amazing keyboard and guitar duals. All in all, Into Forever is a great album that I hope all fans of prog/power metal experience sooner rather than later. If you don't like the genre, this won't change your mind, but Into Forever is far more than a competent album.

The production is great, so there are no complaints here. The drums do sound a bit synthetic, but I think it fits in perfectly with the rest of the music.

Conclusion:

Into Forever is a great sophomore album by 7days. Even though it's not the most groundbreaking album I've ever heard, it stays true to its genre and does that extremely well. Between the terrific vocal harmonies, memorable songwriting, and amazing instrumental performances, it'd be really hard for me to give this anything less than 4 shiny stars. This won't convert the naysayers into power metal fanatics, but it's a great listen for anyone who enjoys the genre. Don't miss out on this!