7 Horns 7 Eyes – Throes Of Absolution – Album Review

You don’t stare at the spirits rising out of the Ark of the Covenant. You don’t sip from the Holy Grail…unless you choose wisely. We all know you’ve got to be pretty tough to fight the powers of darkness; whether it’s demons or just bad music. Rising like an avenging angel from the depths of Puget Sound, 7 Horns 7 Eyes is here to serve a sonic reminder of how brutality and beauty can go hand in hand. And it couldn’t come at a more perfect time!

Throes of Absolution melds all the things I love about metal into one fantastic album. The songs are unique and totally stand the test of multiple replays. You want riffs? They come at you in waves. Drums? They actually sound like a human being is playing his ass off to create crushing beats that are memorable.

An example of this band’s talent is perfectly illustrated on my favorite track; ‘A Finite Grasp Of Infinite Disillusion’. The song has some of the most innovative and unpretentious guitar flourishes I’ve heard all year. Clean and sharp, they work to cut into the heaviness without any sacrifice of flow. About halfway through the song, a solo bursts into life and really sticks in your head. The overall production is outstanding, with each instrument given the chance to breathe – creating several layers of sound.

Though 7H7E is without a doubt one of the few bands that can merge technicality with progressive elements, what makes them so appealing to me is the vocals. ‘Shiv’ Polachek’s voice is what cements the heaviness for the band. His deep, death metal style gives you chills. The contrast of his unrelenting delivery with the melodic moments really surprised me. I’m not a fan of clean vocals and 7H7E really earns respect with sticking with a consistent, brutal delivery over their varied sound. One of his best performances is on ‘Vindiator’; and absolute beast of a track that builds from mid-paced chug to a burning monster. Epic stuff!

As a kid in Sunday School, we learned about the Seven Spirits of God in Revelations. If 2012 truly is the End Times, I think 7H7E are here not only to give us some outstanding metal, but to lead the battle for the ages. Are they Neon Knights? Who knows. I do know that Throes of Absolution is an album you will enjoy for the rest of the year. And if we see a 2013, we will definitely look forward to more 7H7E. Highly recommended.

Track Listing

7 HORNS 7 EYES – ‘Throes Of Absolution’ CD
£7.99
Availability

BSK040CD: 7 HORNS 7 EYES – ‘Throes Of Absolution’
Released: 23rd April 2012

1. Divine Amnesty
2. Phumis: The Falsehood of Affliction
3. The Hill Difficulty
4. Cycle Of Self
5. Delusions
6. A Finite Grasp of Infinite Disillusion
7. Vindicator
8. The Winnowing
9. Regeneration

Basick Store – http://basickrecords.bigcartel.com/
7 Horns 7 Eyes – http://basickrecords.bigcartel.com/product/7-horns-7-eyes-throes-of-absolution-cd