The first new music from Florida’s Seven Kingdoms in a couple of years is an EP with much to commend it.
“The Square” itself gives you the clues. It’s reasonably standard power metal—that is to say, it’s excellently played, and the vocals soar—but there’s just enough there to suggest that there’s more to it.
And certainly, “Through These Waves” is darker, heavy rather than power metal, if you will—although goodness me, the harmonies soar even here.
It’s also—by and large—a guitar album. Camden Cruz rips the solos out like he means it, but sometimes, as on “Wilted Pieces,” there’s a hint of prog in amongst the power balladry.
And that’s because Sabrina Cruz has such a superb voice for this type of thing, and if you doubt that, then witness the scream at the start of “The Serpent And The Lotus.”—not since Jon Bon Jovi at the end of “Runaway” has anything hit that high.
Speaking of the 1980s, the fact that this ends with a cover of “Kyrie” pleases me immensely.
And in a way, it’s probably the perfect cover for them, given their ’80s leanings, a real school disco song for me and anyone else who grew up with the music I did. And yet, it’s typical of Seven Kingdoms that they inject it with their DNA.
Heavy melodic rock doesn’t get much better than this.
Rating: 8.5/10
