SEVENTRAIN – Seventrain (2014)
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SEVENTRAIN is the name of a new San Diego, California-based bluesy Hard Rock band featuring experienced musicians, which will be releasing their self-titled debut next week.
The outfit is commanded by former Cage guitarist Eric Horton (former Cage guitarist) and drummer Joel Maitoza (24-7 Spyz, Shockhead), along with singer Jon Campos (Dive Bomber), guitarist Jef Poremba (Coffi Baker Band… yes, Ginger Baker’s son) and former Tourniquet bass player Steve Dino Andino.
Eric Horton is known from his work with the successful metal band Cage, where his high skilled abilities as a guitarist and penchant to write good and well-crafted songs left an indelible mark. If you think because of Horton’s metal history this debut album from Seventrain would be heavy or power metal, you would be wrong.
Yes, there is some quite heavy sounds here, but this is traditional Hard Rock with a strong bluesy smudge in the vein of Badlands (Jake E. Lee / Ray Gillen band), Y&T or Cinderella blended with modern stylings, all with an updated sound and a personal style.
So, what do we have to expect on “Seventrain” is a really solid album influenced by the music that all the band members grew up with during the ’80s and ’90s; classic hard rock lovingly tracked in analog on 2-inch tape. Yes, the recording was done in ‘the traditional way’, no auto-tuning / no trickery, resulting in an earthy, warm production.
Seventrain starts harder yet melodic within the blasting opener “Bleeding” – very Badlands-esque that include a monstrous riff and some powerful and in-your-face vocal lines – and later on “Never”, “Carry the Cross” and “Change”, offering some beefy riffage and stinging leads over a stomping rhythm section.
But all is balanced by numbers such as “Broken”, “Pain” and the highlight “How Does It Feel” (an extremely melodic mid-tempo song with a great guitar work that made me push the repeat button several times) where the band shows their softer side, or the melodic “Bittersweet Seduction”, with what sure sounds like a Dobro at the start.
The slow burner “Let It Out” lays down a thick groove and then finishes with a sharp, bluesy solo. Similar is “Rays of the Sun”, but the pace can quicken in moments, while still laying down a thick hard rock groove once more.
Perhaps the most surprising element of Seventrain is vocalist Jon Campos. At first, I wasn’t sure I liked his voice. But listening to him go from the forceful delivery on the heavier songs to the smooth delivery for the ballads “Broken” and “Pain” with comfortable ease, I found my self impressed by his performance all over the record.
After a couple of spins, I have to say that I enjoyed Seventrain’s debut a lot. These guys achieved to mix the ’80s hard rock analog sound along with a fresh and bit modern approach and the final result is truly good.
The Badlands influences are all over the album and Jon Campos does an excellent job regarding of the vocals while Horton’s guitar work is really awe-inspiring delivering some meaty riffs and soulful melodic solos. The overall Seventrain musicianship is top notch and you are going to hear here some really killer hard rock stuff in an old-fashioned way.
If you like your hard rock brisk, yet melodic and bluesy, both revisiting the past but staying current, you’ll love “Seventrain”.
Quite Recommended.
You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox
01 – Bleeding
02 – Rays Of The Sun
03 – Change
04 – Broken
05 – Pain
06 – Trouble
07 – Never
08 – Bittersweet Seduction
09 – How Does It Feel
10 – Carry The Cross
11 – Let It Out
Jon Campos: Lead Vocals
Eric Horton: Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jef Poremba: Guitar
Greg Rupp, Steve Andino: Bass
Joel Maitoza: Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Pre-Order:
itunes.apple.com/us/album/seventrain/id795963008
www.amazon.com/Seventrain/dp/B00HY199SW
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