Album of the Week: Seventh Wonder - Waiting in the Wings

Given the population-to-amazing-metal-bands ratio in the tiny country of Sweden (it has a population numbering just over 9 million), it should be assumed that whenever a Swedish baby is born, he or she is given an instrument that will become more or less a part of him or her. Just take a look at the plethora of bands that beloved Scandinavian nation has given us through the years - At the Gates, In Flames, Entombed ... the list goes on and on, but one thing is clear: Sweden's chief export these days, with the exception of chocolate and neo-socialism, is heavy metal.

Seventh Wonder is yet another such export, and a great one at that. With their second release, and first with lead vocalist Tommy Karevik, is eight tracks of technical, melody progressive metal that rivals anything out there right now - which begs the question of why these guys haven't blown up in the States by now. While pretty well-established in their homeland, their version of neo-classicism just hasn't taken on this side of the pond yet.

And it's a shame, because their latest record Waiting in the Wings is really spectacular. With masterful guitar work from the insanely talented Johan Liefvendahl and equally adept bassist Andreas Blomqvist, the band has, in the course of a single album, established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in an increasingly competitive progressive metal scene.

The band soars on Banish the Wicked, a pagan-themed, solo-rich track that explores concepts of pagan religion and culture ... but it's really all about those solos, isn't it? Liefvendahl shows his guns on a brilliant Mozart-inspired bit, and in true progressive rock fashion, each member of the band is given his chance to display his talent.

From a songwriting point of view, it just doesn't get much better than Seventh Wonder, who create an album that's dynamic, interesting, yet maintains a sense of cohesiveness throughout almost an hour of music. It's harder to do than it sounds, and even the best bands fail at this time and time again.

For a truly epic experience, check out the title track, with layered keyboards and a groovy guitar lick over top, this one gives Karevik a chance to stretch his vocal chords and establish himself as one of the top lead men in the metal world today.

I should mention here that bassist Andreas Blomqvist is one of the best I've ever heard. Don't believe me? Check out his solo work on The Edge of my Blade. This guy can wail.

Top honors here, however, go to the incomparable Tommy Hansen, the man behind the boards, who mastered the album to perfection. So many great metal bands are let down by the production value of their albums (In Flames comes to mind), but Hansen's touch brings the band's full, epic sound to the forefront and really lets them shine.

I'm looking forward to Seventh Wonder's next album, and I'm eager to see how their career will fare in America - it would be a shame for such a talented band to miss out on an emerging metal scene like that of the United States.