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Reviews

Seven Impale — Summit
(Karisma KAR251, 2023, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2023-07-18

Summit Cover art

When I reviewed the previous Seven Impale album, I wrote, “Expect the unexpected, prepare to be surprised, and just sit back and enjoy.” That advice applies to Summit as well. The group has carved out a unique niche in the field of progressive rock that combines heavy riffs in odd meters, frequent shifts in mood and rhythm, the light jazziness of Canterbury, and the intensity of zeuhl. Not all at the same time, mind you — that’s a concept that makes my brain hurt — but taking things in turns, mixing them up, and just generally being original. This time out, they’ve put together four tracks running between nine and fourteen minutes, and all of them are built up of so many components that it’s a miracle they hold together. The prominence of saxophones in a prog rock context reminds me a bit of Shamblemaths, though keyboards play a much bigger part in Seven Impale. You’ll hear piano, synthesizers, and organ, including some intense overdriven Hammond sounds that should bring a smile to the face of any fan of vintage keys. The music is adventurous both harmonically and rhythmically, and the long tracks are designed to have a dramatic flow of tension and release. One thing that is different this time out is the presence of vocals, lending a touch of Van der Graaf Generator due to the complex structures and saxophone. There are so many wonderful moments that it’s hard to pick out favorites. In short, another winner from Norway.

Filed under: New releases, 2023 releases

Related artist(s): Seven Impale

More info
http://sevenimpale.bandcamp.com/album/summit

 

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