Seven Impale
City of the Sun
Karisma Records
2014
Seven Impale is a prog rock newcomer from Norway which was formed about 4 years ago. In 2013, they released the digital EP “Beginning/Relieve”, and now they have their debut full-length out.
The term prog rock is very general to describe their music since they do have numerous psychedelic, experimental, jazz-rock, classic rock, art-rock & atmospheric elements blended in. The abstract harmonies and the improvisation is another characteristic in their music. Acts like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Van der Graaf Generator, Gentle Giant & Soft Machine among others will dawn on you. It’s more than obvious that these young guys love the 70s prog/psychedelic rock music a lot. The album has a very good production as it was recorded and produced by Iver Sandøy (enslaved, Krakow, etc.). It does have a small 70s essence but it’s quite fresh and full in general.
The guys are pretty good at what they do. The performances are very good, the ideas are fine but the whole 70s prog/psychedelic rock revival of our time has gone too far. The majority of those bands are good but they miss originality and inspiration. Going back and “borrowing ideas” from bands over 40 years old ain’t a good sign for our music today. That’s exactly the thing with this album too. I’d like to see all those revivalists trying out their own ideas and without recycling the same themes and harmonies from the old ones. The latter had the strength to progress and move forward… but being “progressive” and going backwards… ain’t very rational and evolutionary… is it?!!
The term prog rock is very general to describe their music since they do have numerous psychedelic, experimental, jazz-rock, classic rock, art-rock & atmospheric elements blended in. The abstract harmonies and the improvisation is another characteristic in their music. Acts like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Van der Graaf Generator, Gentle Giant & Soft Machine among others will dawn on you. It’s more than obvious that these young guys love the 70s prog/psychedelic rock music a lot. The album has a very good production as it was recorded and produced by Iver Sandøy (enslaved, Krakow, etc.). It does have a small 70s essence but it’s quite fresh and full in general.
The guys are pretty good at what they do. The performances are very good, the ideas are fine but the whole 70s prog/psychedelic rock revival of our time has gone too far. The majority of those bands are good but they miss originality and inspiration. Going back and “borrowing ideas” from bands over 40 years old ain’t a good sign for our music today. That’s exactly the thing with this album too. I’d like to see all those revivalists trying out their own ideas and without recycling the same themes and harmonies from the old ones. The latter had the strength to progress and move forward… but being “progressive” and going backwards… ain’t very rational and evolutionary… is it?!!