Track Listing
01. Architect02. The Burning
03. Deadlights
04. Digital Summer
05. Holographic Human Element
06. Fear of the Apocalypse
07. Star Assassin
08. Down the Ruin
09. Floodline
10. Veil
11. Sleep
12. Engines of Distraction
Tags: 10 Years, 32 Leaves, Depeche Mode, Meshuggah, Pressure 4-5, Seven, Tool
From Bloomington, Illinois come Seven with their new album, Cymatics. After their 2007 debut Echoes Of Old Voices And The Rise Of New Machines, I was excited to hear what the band had in store for this album. Will Seven hit their stride or will they find themselves in a “Sophomore Slump?”
From the opening track “Architect,” Seven will instantly draw comparisons to Swedish heavyweights Meshuggah. Now I won’t say that they are dead ringers for them, but they definitely have that influence. Seven are able to mix the brutality of a band like Meshuggah, but also add a very dark atmospheric presence of, say, Depeche Mode to their sound. The brutal guitar work leans pretty heavily on ambient sounds and textures throughout not only this song, but the entire album, as well. Vocalist Brad Tuttle is really a hard nut to crack. His screams are distorted and just plain nasty while his singing voice comes across like an eclectic mix of Jesse Hasek (10 Years), Greg Norris (32 Leaves), Adam Rich (Pressure 4–5) and Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode). The song has some very cool off-time beats that just get down right brutal at the end.
“Deadlights” was another standout track with a very cool Meshuggah–like groove. The heavy distorted guitars are snuggled between killer drum and bass work that is totally top notch. They are also complimented with a thick crust of keys and machines. The only problem that I had with this song is the vocal in the verses. At times, the monotone vocals seem to make the song slow and tend to drag. With a beginning that is this brutal, I would have expected more aggression vocally, but it doesn’t really ever happen. There are some places where his vocals fit, but I want pissed off, not piss and moaning.
I do have to say the overall production on Cymatics is fantastic. The guitars, bass and drums are thick and brutal, the vocals are mixed really well, and the “machines” are layered perfectly. So I have to give Seven mad props for such a crisp production for an unsigned band.
“Fear Of the Apocalypse” is a track that should garner the band a lot of attention. From the opening guitar lick, you are drawn in like a moth to a flame. Mammoth guitar grooves are mixed with killer vocals and awesome bass and drum work. Tuttle’s vocal style really sounds awesome layered between the brutal guitars and black hole of ambiance. Amazing track!
Seven show just how dark and atmospheric they can be with “Star Assassin.” From the almost Depeche Mode funky beat at the beginning, you are instantly drawn in. Not only are the verses catchy, but the choruses are absolutely incredible. They are big, singable and totally infectious to say the least. I could see this track on any huge summer blockbuster’s soundtrack.
The last track, and honestly one of the best, is “The Engines Of Distraction.” From the opening electronics to the beautiful guitar, bass and drum work, you are sucked in to the vastness that is Seven. The almost Tool meets Meshuggah vibe is insane to say the least. Vocally, this song is brutal at times but also big and open when it needs to be.
In the end, Cymatics is an album that should bring Seven much praise — there’s no doubt about it. Even though the vocals (at times) need to be angered up a notch, it doesn’t make the album any less stellar. This is an album that may take some people a few listens to get into, but you can’t deny the fact that Seven really have something with this disc. Cymatics is an album that is like an onion — every time you pull back a layer, you find another layer that could just actually make you cry.
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3 Comments
December 10th, 2009 at 7:05 am
I am so glad I found this album, I didn’t know about seven but the music on this is beautiful. thanks for the review. I am posting about it on the Journal of Cymatics, where you can see some “real” cymatics if you want (as the band named their album after): http://www.cymatica.com
PS what do you think of Sun 0)))‘s album of the same name?
December 10th, 2009 at 11:24 am
I’m digging this album. Pretty sweet mix! Living only about 30 minutes away from Bloomington, IL, I’m not sure how I haven’t heard of these guys prior to reading this review. Just goes to show what a site like ours can do for smaller, lesser known bands.
December 10th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Awesome! Jodina Im glad you dug the review.….awesome to find hidden gems like this.. Seven will be one of our “All Access” bands starting next week…So that will be killer! yea Ben your right, that’s why I started the site…its about the little guys…the unknowns.