by Franco Cerchiari
— Contributing Writer —
It’s a given fact that useless American radio couldn’t give two shits about supporting great bands like Seven Hard Years (7HY) and add their music to their play lists. But for fans of Harem Scarem, Room Experience, Blood Red Saints, Cats in Space, The Theander Experience, or Last Autumn’s Dream 7HY’s latest, their fourth, is a must have. The project of ex-Shy drummer Allan Kelly and featuring Line of Fire vocalist Shawn Pelata (who in moments has the same raspy vocal style of Harem Scarem front man Harry Hess,) 7HY has dropped a glorious collection of pure Melodic Rock released on the Lion’s Pride Music label.
While listening to this, what comes into view first off are the lyrics. Sure a few of the songs sing of past loves, heartache and the like, but there are some true diamonds here. Listen to the vocals of the opening track, “Stay Gone,” where heard are lyrics that are biting, and blatantly honest of a man at his wit’s end telling the girl “…if you think of changing your mind…stay gone.” The beautiful “Still Falling,” again comes from the heart of the songwriter, “…nothing can be done about the way I feel about you, nothing has faded, nothing is lost.” What makes some songs better than others, are, bottom line, the lyrics. What gets annoying is how on some releases the same message from song to song is heard. On No Going Back, each song tells a different story and feelings of disgust, true love, and longing. A rarity are the lyrics of “Can’t Trust The Radio,” where the significance of wishing that songs coming from the radio could quench the anguish that comes from seeing a love gone badly.
So many things about this release to admire – the vocals, the musicianship, the sound, the emotions, and again, the lyrics all make this a release to want. In some moments the sound is huge, in others, exciting and catchy, and still others, subdued and attentive. The music is simple, but memorable, an overall strong offering within the genre of Melodic Rock. Remember those things as you hear the rocking guitars of “Deep Dark Blue,” the great keyboards mixed with the reverb guitar of “Every Moment,” and the drums of “I Love You.” Also worth a listen is the almost Hard Rock of “”Your Reality,” and the vocal harmonies of the closing track “Can We Try.”
Plenty of keyboards, guitars, and heavy handed drums, a pulsating bass line can be heard, and loads of vocal harmonies, and of course, excellent lyrics, for really not a bad track to be heard throughout No Going Back. Bottom line is this; radio is useless – plain and simple. Nothing will ever change that. They are what they are. But to bands like 7HY we say, keep doing what you’re doing. We may not be able to count on radio to support you, but we, your fans will as best we can.
Genre: Melodic Rock
Band Members:
Shawn Pelata – vocals
Alan Kelly – drums, guitar, bass, keys, backing vocals
Track Listing
Stay Gone
Deep Dark Blue
No Going Back
Every Moment
Still Falling
Your Reality
Can’t Trust The Radio
I Love You
Can We Try
Label: Lion’s Pride Music
Online: www.facebook.com/AK7HY
HRH Rating: 
(8.5 / 10)
