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Ladies and Gentlemen... Welcome to "Mercy Falls"

Let me simply state, before getting into the particulars, that this album is stunning! What we have here is a prog lovers paradise. Mercy Falls is the third release for the swedish prog metallers. Their debut Become was so-so however, one year later, with the recruiting of a new vocalist (Tommy Karevik) their sophomore release Waiting In The Wings exploded onto the scene, showcasing this band as a Progressive Metal powerhouse. This latest creation I'm pleased to say surpasses even that masterpiece. I am incredulous as to how Seventh Wonder does not get more recognition in the Prog Metal community. Hell, if you love acts like Circus Maximus, Pathosray, Anubis Gate, or Dream Theater for that matter, you'll positively be floored by these guys. One of the great attributes that Seventh Wonder possesses is the ability to write technical, complex song structures, yet allow for the music to be accessible to the listener.

Mercy Falls is a concept album about a man whose a husband, father and son, who is severely injured in a car accident in the small town of Mercy Falls, leaving him in a prolonged coma, I don't want to risk giving away too much of the story, but I'll just say as the story unfolds it tells of a powerful and emotional story of family tragedy, and what eventually becomes of a small town.

The album is nearly 75 minutes in length and contains 15 epic tracks. The passionate vocal melodies delivered by Tommy Karevik are flawless and extremely catchy, he consistently displays stunning range and emotion throughout the album. This guy is one of the best vocalists in metal, I know that is a bold statement, but I stand behind it!

Instrumentally, Johan Liefvendahl (Guitars), Andreas Blomqvist, (Bass), Andreas Soderin (Keys) and Johnny Sandin (Drums) are all masters of their respective instruments, most noticeable is the interaction that takes place between Liefvendahl and Blomqvist, at times it seems that the guitar and bass are playing as one. The soundscape also benefits from a huge production job, which frequently brings each one of the instruments to the forefront of the mix.

I would be remiss for not singling out the talents of bassist Andreas Blomqvist, he makes a conscious effort to allow the bass to play a leading role in the band's music, the results of which are very entertaining. He and Karevik are the two stars of the show, and are what sets Seventh Wonder apart from most other bands.

The music itself is delivered with heavy guitar riffs, blistering solos, complex bass lines, perfectly layered keyboards, flawlessly executed time changes, stunning melodies and majestic, sweeping choruses, accompanied by beautiful short acoustic interludes and spoken narratives which allows for a smooth flow of the storyline, and of course anchoring it all, the emotional singing of Tommy Karevik. In the end all these elements combine to deliver a musical masterpiece, which must be experienced in order to be appreciated.

Don't deprive yourself a minute longer, it is criminal for any fan of Progressive Metal not to have this in their collection. Buy this CD, support this band so they can continue to grace us with their brilliant music.

Highly, Highly Recommended!