VII GATES -

VII GATES - FIRE, WALK WITH ME - SOUND RIOT
Sweden's VII Gates is slightly schizophrenic. Yes, they do simultaneously sound like several bands, but all those bands are within the same genre of music. The list goes something like this: Stratovarius, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian and Judas Priest. Depending on the song, the sextet manages to reproduce a melody, a riff, a solo, hell even a folksy interlude a la one of the aforementioned bands. A lack of originality aside, the act does harbour several brilliant parts. The music speeds up and the vocalist wails to high heavens and it works! Then again, VII Gates only works with material from the best bands. - Ali "The Metallian"