7 MONTHS

Ok, here we go. This is my first review for PA but I'm not a complete novice at this. I have dabbled with reviews at Amazon but i figure with all that this site has done to guide me in making intelligent choices, I feel like I should give something back. Anyway, lets look at this debut effort from 7Months. Three songs (Change, New Age & Say Goodbye) all deliver what I would call Melodic Metal with progressive elements. The vocalist keeps it clean (both in content and tone) and perfectly compliments the other members in what at times seems a cross between early Styx but with a definite modern twist and prog metal on the more widely approachable (and listenable for those unaccustomed to the heavier stuff) level. Don't get me wrong, these guys can definitely rock and the level of musicianship is very impressive, particularly the keyboardist and drummer. The guitar work is very well played, at least in the rhythm aspect but the lead breaks never really grabbed me. The keyboard solos, on the other hand, were interesting and flowed beautifully over the arrangements that supported it. I feel like the band was at its best, at least from a "progressive" standpoint, when the keyboard player had the spotlight.. The drum work was solid throughout, with subtle little percussion flourishes here and there....very professional. The centerpiece seems to be the 8:20 long "Senorita Serenade" which is definitely the most "progressive" tune on the CD. Very well arranged and performed and as it seems to reach its ending, your thinking "well, OK, this is what I'm talking about" then your subjected to over 2 minutes of surf and seagulls! This aside it is still the strongest track on the album. After that things kinda settle into a safe, almost radio-friendly mix of ballady, club-ready AOR and formulaic pop-metal. Overall, is it worth your time? Absolutely! The four tracks specifically mentioned here are very solid and showcase a band that has definitely done its homework. I am unable to find the second release but this one is worth grabbing..........