Seventh Calling Epidemic
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
After the excellent, but all too brief Prelude to Madness EP, Seventh Calling is back with their second full-length album Epidemic. The Vegas (by way of Minneapolis) band has a sound that’s tough to pin down, drawing from traditional, power and thrash metal. Nevermore is a good comparison, as are Vicious Rumors and Metal Church, but over the course of two albums and as many EPs, Seventh Calling has definitely carved out their own sound. They’re a vital part of the resurgence in traditional heavy metal here in North America, but they do it without the clichés that White Wizzard and Cauldron employ (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Epidemic is a very strong, well put-together American heavy metal album. The guitar work is almost straight-up thrash, with lightning riffs worthy of Testament, but there are some powerful solos and just enough melody. The rhythms are absolutely punishing, and result in maximum headbanging. The vocals are solid, but there are times when you wish Steve Handel wouldn’t try for quite so many high notes. The lyrics run the gamut from the fantastic to the historic to pure metal anthems, but their dark nihilistic nature is what ties the songs together.
Highlights include the metal anthem “Ignite the Fire,” the epic 9-minute closing track “Beyond (the Wicked Lies)” and “Paid in Blood,” which examines the 1857 Mountain Meadows massacre of 120 civilians by Mormon leader Brigham Young. History is always bloodier than our darkest fantasies, and it makes for some very compelling songwriting material in this case.
Because of Seventh Calling’s unique sound and Epidemic’s overall strengths, this is an album that should appeal to a pretty wide array of metal fans. Whether you’re into traditional metal bands like Judas Priest and Accept, power metal bands like Iced Earth, thrash bands like Testament, or bands like Nevermore, Metal Church and Vicious Rumors that blur those genre boundaries, Epidemic should have you banging your head in no time.
Genre: Traditional Metal, Thrash Metal
Band:
Steve Handel (v) (g)
Alex Ritchey (g) (v)
Shannon Frye (d) (v)
Marc Flores (b) (v)
Track Listing:
1. Test of Time
2. Paid in Blood
3. Rising Against
4. Epidemic
5. Ignite the Fire
6. Death Dealer
7. Fractured
8. Tyrannical Reign
9. Beyond (the Wicked Lies)
Label: Heaven and Hell
Website: www.seventhcalling.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10