SEVEN WIDOWS

The album a"Seven Widows" discussed here, released in 2017, is the sixth album by the Polish prog band Believe. The music on this album is stunningly beautiful, which is quite surprising given how the band's journey began. The band, centered around the masterful guitarist Miroslaw Gil, who became legendary with Collage, debuted in 2006 with "Hope To See Another Day." The industrial sound that permeated that album didn't appeal to me, and I also disliked the gritty Seattle sound of the guitar chords. What particularly bothered me about that album was the theatrical singing style. The album presented an awkward mix of dark melancholic neo-prog and a kind of pseudo-hard rock/metal. Over the years, and after some significant lineup changes, the band has grown immensely, culminating in the "Seven Widows" album discussed here.

What has remained consistent, and what stands out as a defining feature of "Seven Widows," is the dark melancholy. However, the execution here is far superior, and the compositions are genuinely sincere.

The main assets of Believe are, of course, guitarist Gil and the Japanese violinist Satomi, who also enriches the music with beautiful keyboard work. They frequently fill the compositions with lyrical melodies and graceful phrases. Sometimes they combine their passions, as in the theme of the opening track, while at other times they bring out the best in themselves in individual shining moments. The enchanting violin solo in the world music section of track IV is a prime example of the latter. The guitar solo at the end of the closing track VII is spine-tingling and will be a delight for Collage fans. Throughout the album, Gil and Satomi constantly confront you with their prowess. Occasionally, there's an acoustic guitar, like in track II, while other times it gets intense, as in track VII, where it leans towards Gothic rock. Most of the time, however, you're in the realm of neo-prog, where the term "gritty" doesn't quite capture it but comes close.

The entire album is anchored by the prominent bass guitar and drums. Przemysław Zawadzki and Robert Kubajek effortlessly navigate through the many irregular time signatures without making the music feel hectic or unmanageable. It's skillful playing all around.

The man who can make or break the album with his performance is the vocalist, Lukasz Ociepa. He is new to the band and faces the unenviable task of being the third vocalist to add his voice to this intriguing music. He does a great job, often reminding listeners of his predecessor Karol Wróblewski, and when he gets emotional, he sounds like how the first singer should have sounded. Ociepa has his finest moment in track III, where he fully unleashes in the choruses. It's a shame that he left the band after this album.

According to their website, Believe is set to release a new album in 2021, with a fourth vocalist on board. If that album is even half as good as "Seven Widows," it will be excellent.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com