PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
“Seventh Key” are back after nine long years with a new album entitled “I Will Survive”, the group are made up of Guitarist and Keyboard player Mike Slamer, Billy Greer on Bass, Lead Vocals and Chet Wynd on Drums.
I’ve followed Mike Slamer for many years, he doesn’t know it, but I like many others buy anything with his name on, the man is pure class.
For those of you who do not know him, he is a British born guitarist, who made his name with 70’s band City Boy. He is very much in demand for his guitar playing and has guested on songs by Warrant, Kix, Fiona, Grand Illusion and many more; he has also released a solo album entitled ‘Nowhere Land’, with former Strangeways member Terry Brock on vocals. Who unsurprisingly also appears on this release.
I picked up on him when he formed “Streets” with singer Steve Walsh. “Streets” released two killer albums “1st” and “Crimes In Mind” and a “King Biscuit Flower Hour” live album, which I have on cassette tape, somewhere in the loft.
Another key member of “Seventh Key” is Billy Greer, who also played bass in “Streets”, he now plays in the reformed Kansas with Steve Walsh.
Since 2001, Seventh Key has released three studio albums, and with this latest one “I Will Survive” it has to be said, this is their best one yet.
‘Seventh Key’ have a far more hard rock sound than Greer’s main band ( Kansas )even with the Prog Keyboards, and most of that is down to Mr Slamer and his amazing guitar and Keyboard work.
Opener “I will survive” is pure melodic hard rock, with a great proggresive keyboard intro, in a similar vein to Kansas, though ‘Seventh Key’ play it harder, especially with Chet Wynd on drums.
Slamer is a genius; you only have to listen to “I See You There” as a prime example. His keyboards breathing fire into a song already full of classy guitar touches and stunning vocals from Greer, however Slamer reminds us that his is also a very under rated guitar player on “It’s Just A State Of Mind”. He totally dominates this track, with every twist and turn of his playing opening up the song, however he never lets his playing ride roughshod over the track, and the result is breath taking.
“I see you there” is a beautiful moving ballad which is followed by the faster “It’s just a state of mind”. Back to the ballad’s again for “Sea of dreams” and then a classic of an AOR song “Time and time again”.
“When love sets you free” is an excellent melodic rock song with a great hook and a fantastic melody.
The same applies to “The only one”, in fact the same applies to all the songs on here.
Always one’s to write for the song, letting the song develop its own path, Seventh Key use a violin and piano as the basis for “What’s Love Supposed To Be”, while “I Want It All” rounds the album off in a more progressive rock way.
There are no filler tracks on here, so it’s hard to pick out stand out tracks, but if pushed I’d go for ‘It’s Just A State Of Mind’, ‘Love Sets You Free’ and the ballad ‘What’s Love Supposed To Be’.
A stunnning album, full of great songs, great prog keyboard playing, and even better guitar playing.
Billy Greer: Bass, Lead Vocals
Mike Slamer: Guitars, Keyboards, Programming
Chet Wynd: Drums
Special Guests:
David Ragsdale: Violin
Billy Trudel, Terry Brock, Bobby Capps: Background vocals
Barry ‘The Blade’ Johnson: Guitar
David Manion: Keyboards
Produced and mixed by Mike Slamer
Label: Frontier Records
01. I Will Survive
02. Lay In On The Line
03. I See You There
04. It’s Just A State Of Mind
05. Sea Of Dreams
06. Time And Time Again
07. When Love Sets You Free
08. Down
09. The Only One
10. What’s Love Supposed To Be
11. I Want It All
