THE GREAT ESCAPE

Wow, my first review, and I decided to pick an album I was immensely surprised with. Having never heard of Seventh Wonder, I didn't really know what to expect when I picked this up, but having listened to it for about the eighth time, it is a serious contender for my album of the year.

My initial impressions were of a very talented band that seemed to hold back a little on the technical side and focus instead on incredible melodies and song-writing talent, which really works. Unlike a lot of similar bands I have heard, I can remember a multitude of catchy hooks and melodies, which is a welcome change to a lot of my listening. The band has obviously taken influences from the giants of the genre and I can hear SYMPHONY X, some SHADOW GALLERY and FATES WARNING. I know that's not exactly an inspired list of influences, but itg works really well here. Standout tracks include the melody driven Alley Cat, the excellent King Of Whitewater and the last epic, The Great Escape.

If I had any criticisms, it would be that, having heard their previous album, that this record doesn't tread much new ground, it's more of the same. Which is a good thing, because the music here is excellent, but it would have been nice to see something new here. The last track too, feels a little fragmented, and could have been cut down a good five minutes extra, but overall this is an incredibly solid album from the band, and I wish them success in future endeavors.