THE GREAT ESCAPE

Seventh Wonder's The Great Escape is everything that had become stale and boring about progressive metal by the end of the Aughts. This Circus-Maximus-does-Queensryche-and-Whitesnake-covers record is complete with wonky solos, assembly-line keyboard strings, and pale imitation Michael Romeo riffs. And don't worry, for all of you James Labrie haters who only wish DT would just "get a good singer" already, I'm sure you'll absolutely love vocalist Tommy Karevik's smooth vanilla arena rock vocals.

Surprisingly, the only song on this record with anything original to say is the prog epic closer. But alas, that track too outlasts its welcome well before the end of its whopping and totally uncalled for 30 minute run-time.