BECOME

I got to know this swedish band thanks to a fellow prog-metalhead (friend of mine) that recommended them to me in 2009. So after that, I picked up their first record.

According to what I was able to research, 'Seventh Wonder' have been around the swedish scene since 2000 aprox., but it wasn't until 2005 that they could self-produce their first full-lenght. The first album from prog-metallers 'Seventh Wonder', coming from the landscape that Sweden is, you'll probably know that these guys have something to offer.

'Become', it's a straightforward power metal release, full of catchy hymns, but with obvious progressive elements. While there is no surprise or 'nothing new' in the songs, one can still grasp the fact that these guys are top notch musicians, particularly, Andreas Blomqvist (bass/main composer) is the one with the most talent here, his playing is fantastic, and his bass lines/solos are mindblowing, just hear the fabulous 'In The Blink Of An Eye', full with bass prowess. The production is not the best in 'Become', but you can still hear that the guitar playing does a good job in bringing the virtuosism/shred to the songs, Johan Liefvendahl it's clearly an excellent guitar player, and he demonstrates that with his solos. The keyboards sound is a little off in the songs (the production and mastering wasn't the best in this aspect), nevertheless, Andreas Söderin it's a nice player, although I would love to hear more choirs and synths in certain songs, he leaves too much to be desired. The drums by Johnny Sandin are good in this album, although his best effort can be found in the upcoming albums, so his playing in this album pales in comparison to his other work (especially 'Mercy Falls' which is by far their best album). The weakest member in 'Become' it's Andi Kravljaca, his vocal range it's too limited for this kind of music, and his voice is too soft, especially in songs with catchy chorus, where the voice should play a major role. He is still a decent vocalist, and has a recognizable voice, but it doesn't fit at all with the instrumental work. I'm glad 'Seventh Wonder' found Tommy Karevik, which is one of my favourite prog metal vocalists, with his crystal clear voice.

The highlights in 'Become' are: 'In The Blink Of An Eye', 'What I've Become', 'Temple In The Storm'.

'Become' it's a solid album, but it doesn't contain any surprises, and the prog elements are predictable, but it's still clear that these guys have talent. The well-written melodic hooks and the compositional work shows us that 'Seventh Wonder' were a diamond in the rough, a diamond that now, fully shines with their next releases.

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