Here we have Metallers Enemy Inside releasing an album called “Seven”, so obviously this is their second album! No, really, it is their second album, though I must be honest, given the maturity and confidence exuded on this album, it could actually be their seventh. 2018’s debut “Phoenix” was a varied offering which built on a tried and trusted Gothic/Symphonic Metal blueprint, introducing more modern elements as the album went on. “Seven” builds on the debut and steers the band more down that Modern Metal path, a style they sound utterly at home with.
This type of Metal style is no mean feat really given that the band is led by Guitarist Evan K, best known as lead shredder for Power Metal stalwarts Mystic Prophecy. But as with Frozen Crown and side project Volturian, it shows that it’s usually best if a guitarist forms a new and exciting parallel project rather than shoe-horning that style into his main band. And actually there is more than a little Volturian about the Metal on offer here, with vocalist Natassja Giulia carrying every melody with an equal confidence which when added to the music also brings to mind anyone from Ad Infinitum or Beyond The Black through to Metalite or Smackbound.
It’s a nicely balanced album that throws one catchy Metal track after another at you, with only one track that nudges into ballad territory, yet still manages to easily hold its own. Tagged onto the end of the album is a cover of Jennifer Page’s 90’s pop track ‘Crush’, the original of which I particularly dislike – but it just shows what this talented Metal band can do with a song as I can actually, almost happily get to the end of this version! It’s more of an accomplishment than you might think given my level of disdain for the original. There’s a healthy amount of samples etc. throughout, but never too obtrusive and generally as an enhancement to a bouncing back beat and usually second place to a solid, dynamic crunching guitar, and sparkling lead guitar dashes.
There is no denying that this is an album that relies heavily on catchy vocal melody lines, but that’s no bad thing when they are as well delivered and finely executed as they are on this impressive album. This is also a band still developing their style, so future releases will maybe introduce more aggression (as they do on the title track and a couple of others) to bring them into line with their better-known counterparts – or they might choose to eschew the norm and stick to their already impressive modus operandi, which would also see the band well. The point is, the door is wide open for this band to fit onto many a Metal bill and take their music further and further. I very much look forward to hearing all their future albums right up to their seventh…which I sincerely hope they will call “Two”.
(8/10 Andy Barker)
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