Summit

Seven Impale

From Bandcamp, "The new album "Summit" continues in a well-known style, blending Jazz and Progressive […]
April 21, 2023
Seven Impale - Summit album cover

From Bandcamp, "The new album "Summit" continues in a well-known style, blending Jazz and Progressive Rock with more heavy influences into four juggernaut tracks. Without leaving the madness of "City of the Sun" and "Contrapasso" behind, the album gives the music and lyrics the space and time needed to captivate and dazzle. They might have reached the summit on this one, but does it mean they have nowhere to go from here?"

"Hunter" is the first song. Tense piano notes open the song, and begin to gain speed. From there, it's more of a Jazz/Prog mash-up, without much in the way of a central sound. The vocals are very melancholy, while the music alternates between darker accents and smoother, easy-listening tones. The band is clearly talented, but this is some strange music. "Hyrda" has a little more of a linear sound. The skies begin to grey, and the winds pick up. A chugging riff comes in, with plenty of keyboards. The vocalist's style reminds me of Jim Morrison. Saxophone notes augment the song, as it darts in and out of darker passages along with some light flowing in. Those old school keyboards take me back to the 1970's. The instrumental passage from there shows the band flexing their collective muscles.

"Ikaros" has a heavier and more aggressive opening sound, while the vocals are done with harmonies. The background is full of supporting elements, creating a thick stew that isn't quite ready to eat. The tense sound grows, until the song is about to burst. Instead, it just fades out slowly. The 13-minute "Sisyphus" closes the album. Melancholy tones open the song, with a dose of an occasional heavy note that drops like a meteor from the sky. The song shifts several times between aggressive tones and smooth ones, and you never know what is coming next. It whips into a cacophony of sounds that are hard to distinguish, and then drops to mellow.

I often judge an album based on who I think their fan base is. In many cases, this is easy to solve, while in other cases, not so much. Anyone who fancies them a music lover can tell that this band has talent, and drive. One of the best things about Progressive Music is enjoying the journey, and not the destination. But, even this eclectic music fan who loves all forms of Progressive Music finds the music to be too odd, too personal, and too peculiar. Fans of Jazz might enjoy this, however, and I have to applaud the band for their sheer level of musicianship.

7 / 10

Good

Songwriting

7

Musicianship

9

Memorability

3

Production

8
"Summit" Track-listing:

1. Hunter
2. Hydra
3. Ikaros
4. Sisyphus

Seven Impale Lineup:

Unknown

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