Review SEVEN KINGDOMS “The Square” – EP

Seven Kingdoms have been around for quite a while. The band was formed in 2007 in Deland, Florida and their debut album “Brothers of the Night” was released the same year. A milestone for the band was when they signed a deal with Reigning Phoenix Music, as it allows the four-piece to reach a wider group of metalheads.

“The Square” is the first release to come through Reigning Phoenix Music and it is an EP. “The Square” is the title of this five-track mini album that gives a taste of what to expect from the next full-length record.

What Seven Kingdoms deliver is solid power metal with a strong melodic touch. Especially the vocal lines are catchy and make you want to sing along the first time you hear the songs, which is reflected in tunes like the title track. “The Square” is a melodic metal song and what is remarkable are the vocals provided by Sabrina Valentine. It is her powerful voice that adds a lot to the good impression of the album, while smart changes of tempo create the necessary versatility.

“Through These Waves” has an even more melodic approach compared to the opener, while the guitars remain present. Still, this is more melodic rock than metal, except for some harder riffing here and there. Songs like “Wilted Pieces” even remind me of a rougher version of Heart, while the pounding “The Serpent and the Lotus” brings back the metallic sparkle of the opener.

The fact that Seven Kingdoms cover “Kyrie” by Mr. Mister, a pop/rock chartbuster from the mid-80s, also shows where the band gets some of its inspiration from. However, “Kyrie” is interpreted very close to the original, and it’s the band that adds a notch of hardness to the top ten hit.

“The Square” is a solid EP. Seven Kingdoms manage the balancing act between heaviness and catchiness, which combined with a well done production leads to a solid EP. Each of the songs is a good one, although adding a little more surprises would boost the excitement factor and unpredictability.