CD Review: Seventh Key

Reviled by critics, ignored by radio and empty-v, mostly overlooked by stateside music lovers, there's a whole underground of music thriving out there that has nothing to do with celebrity headlines, punk rock attitude or even heavy metal grime. What I'm talking about, bucko, is what you call your "melodic hard rock," a time-traveling genre with its roots in the arena-rock '70s when musicians actually played their instruments and Pro Tools was a mere gleam in some pizza-eating programmer's eye. Melodic hard rock is what AOR became when it grew up and got wise to the ways of the world.

These new wave tone farmers throw together elements of British prog-rock (think Genesis, or Yes) with American hard rock influences (Kansas) and pop (Journey) to create an entirely new spin on the dino-rock sound that plodded from stadium to stadium during most of the '70s. Aside from the more obvious melodic qualities of the music, i.e. the tunes actually have an underlying melody instead of some label-exec's-chosen-producer's approximation of one, the players possess the same dedication to craft and technical virtuosity of their musical ancestors, a trait they have in common with their kissing cousins, those poor saps still plowing the prog-rock fields (or neo-prog, for you purists).

Although American audiences are mostly uninformed of this musical undercurrent, Europeans have gone ga-ga over it, especially the Italians, which have not one, but two record labels dedicated to releasing gems from both established brands like Thunder or Joe Lynn Turner as well as relative newcomers like Ten or Seventh Key.

Seventh Key began as a solo side project for MVP four-stringer Billy Greer, who has logged in more hours on the road as bassist for Kansas than the original mope that played on all those hits songs three-decades back. Collecting some friends from the game like guitarists Mike Slamer and Terry Brock and keyboard wiz David Manion, Greer was looking for the opportunity to record and sing his own songs apart from his day gig with KS. The self-titled Seventh Key debut was released in 2001, followed by the release of The Raging Fire in 2004. Both albums were well-received by melodic hard rock fans as well as the prog-oriented community at large.

Seventh Key never performed live in support of either album, though, a minor drawback for a genre that prides itself on its performing chops. To give fans a taste of what the band would sound like if they could actually see them onstage - the blood and sweat and tears and all that - Seventh Key got together on an Atlanta soundstage in early-2005 and, in front of a crowd of 60 or so family members, friends and VIP guests, kicked out the jams in front of a bunch of video cameras and a recording console. The result was the LiveIn Atlanta performance DVD and accompanying CD, released in late-2005 by Italy's Frontiers Records and late last year stateside by Spain's Locomotive Records.

Live In Atlanta mixes up songs from both of Seventh Key's previous albums, in roughly equal measure, tilted slightly towards the better songs from The Raging Fire ("Sin City" "Winds Of War") but including the killer bambam track "The Kid Could Play" from the band's debut. As for Seventh Key's sound, well, it should come as no surprise that the band presents itself as a harder-edged version of Kansas, with a touch of '80s nerf-metal (think Winger, or maybe Skid Row) and a few concessions to modern neo-prog. There's plenty o' guitar noodling, earnest vocals, group harmonies and songs that manage to rock like an off-kilter Maytag even while drenched in melody.

Greer is a surprisingly deft vocalist - not a classic shouter like Joe Lynn Turner or a '60s-styled soulman like Glenn Hughes, but rather an understated singer with fine lift, impressive range and a great deal of warmth to his performance. Greer's bass-playing has always been solid, and he imbues his own material with a strong rhythmic undercurrent, supported on this live set by Charlie Daniels Band skinman Pat McDonald's heavy drumbeats. David Manion's keyboards are ever-present, but mostly in a supporting role; when he gets the chance to shine, however, he hits the black-and-whites with decidedly prog-classicist fervor.

The real find here is guitarist Mike Slamer, performing "live" onstage for the first time in 22 years. Although a familiar name to classic rock aficionados for his work with City Boy and Steve Walsh's Streets, Slamer established his melodic hard rock credits with Steelhouse Lane, and now with Seventh Key, and is also a notable producer in the genre. Given room to work, he tears off leads that would turn Eddie V. green with envy, establishing a fine tone and a distinctive clarity to his work. Slamer is an underrated talent, joining Paul Gilbert on my list of the best guitar heroes you've never heard.

Live In Atlanta is a red-hot set that would certainly appeal not only to fans of Kansas but also to lovers of '70s-styled hard rock that have been ill-served by modern rock radio. If you crave this stuff (and an amazing number of people do), both the CD and the DVD offer up multitudes of cheap thrills. The CD version of Live In Atlanta features twelve live performances and three new tracks, including the tasty, pop-influenced '80s-throwback "Remember You Well" and the foreboding Delta-bred booger-rock of "Love Train," as nasty and funky a slice o' pie as you'll find on disc these days. The Live In Atlanta DVD offers up the twelve live tracks, previous music vids for three Seventh Key songs and interviews with the guilty parties like Greer, Slamer and Brock.

If you haven't smartened up to melodic hard rock yet, Seventh Key is a great place to start before you start tackling bands like Sunstorm, The Mob or Pink Cream 69. It's a big world out there, music fans, and the major labels are only selling you a small part of it...think big and broaden your horizons.