Factory of Dreams - CD Review
Seven Nails

2013
13 tracks
English lyrics
Self released

I sometimes get a kick out of reading reviews of bands in this genre from other publications especially in other countries. I know we all have different taste but, please, do you really want to complain about “another symphonic progressive” sound? I mean, in my country, good ol ‘merica, we get one a decade, swallowed up by 500 rappers and 200 boy bands. Maybe you’d prefer that. I’ve gotten to the point where even Country Western is a respite, and a Salsa band or some good ol’ Cajun Zydeco would be a heavenly treat from the gods. So please don’t burden me with your concerns about “another symphonic progressive” sound. If you don’t like them, send them over, we’ll give you the Beiber, One Direction and your pick of gangsta’ rappers.

Well, Seven Nails is a relatively new symphonic progressive band from Southern Germany. And, being as how they’re from Germany, they probably have more of an orientation towards classical sounds than to gangsta’ rap, lucky for them. They’re a 7-person band, for the most part, and they do some pretty interesting material. Does it sound a little like some of the other bands in this genre, ya, a little. But, better that than Jay-Z or even Snoop Dog. And the sound has some interesting approaches to that classical “symphonic” direction. It does have some keyboard-based components, but it’s maybe more oriented towards the violin. . . something you rarely get with rap. Along with pretty much anything else related to music. The band features a lot of vocals, three main ones including lead vocals Daniela Marx and Julian Molkmann who handle the majority of the effort and violinist Marion Huttl. There’s also choral work thrown in here and there to make sure you get that classical thing full force.

It’s a little difficult to get a central theme here although the lyrics do tell some interesting tales. The work opens with a short two and a half classical track, complete with a thunder storm in the background giving it that Gothic feel right up front. I don’t know that I’d call the lyrical direction pure Gothic but there is certainly an attempt to aim the musical tone in that direction. The second track, the title track, does provide a lyrical framework we can move forward with:

Welcome to the Factory of Dreams / Nothing is what it seems
Find your heros today / Enjoy and just justify.

The track presents a solid introduction to the 7N sound, you get a variety of vocal styles, some diversified instrumental work driven by a pulsating drum line.

The release does, however, spend a solid amount of time doing the ballad. Hard to tell whether of not this is their strong point, probably a personal perspective. However, even these ballad approaches have a tendency to move towards the guitar riff approach to things during the track. Frozen blue is one of these. It starts out as a soothing sound but evolves into a more complex one, with the violin taking front and center on multiple occasions. And, lyrically, this one does go in that Gothic direction:

Until my last breath I’ll fight it / Until you break the silence / that feels like death
Now there’s nothing else / loneliness
Today dreams are lost / Only call my name / End the pain Will I abide?

Behind your Mirror is another one that takes the ballad approach, but it pretty much stays there. On this one, you get a solid feel for the female vocals of lead vocalist Daniela Marx although there are other vocals to enjoy. This one may go in a more “Doom Metal” direction, something that is really enhanced by that violin. You really get the funeral dirge sound here, and again, this one goes in a dark direction lyrically:

Take a look deep inside / Someone is watching me
Should I run / Should I hide
It’s my master’s decree
Break it down / Dance in shards
It’s always the same / someone’s watching me
I’m not
Insane

Masquerade takes us in a heavier direction musically but from a vocal perspective you get a lot more voices. This band tends to be vocally oriented on most tracks and this one reflects that emphasis. I wish there were more videos to point to that actually showed the band performing; they’re a really interesting looking group, as you probably noticed in that first video. And, from what I’ve read, their music is developed for live performance. This one seems especially oriented towards that direction.

Although the violin seems to often be the dominant instrument, there are a few where guitars are allowed to shine. The Way to the Butterflies goes heavy with guitar riffs and provides another solid rocker. Again we get the mixed vocal styles, more male vocals, which, by the way, tend to be of the “clean” variety. But it’s that mixed approach that again drives those vocals, one moment the female lead dominates with the secondary female vocal and the male vocal supporting, the next moment it goes another direction. It can actually get a little confusing at times but I never found it to be distracting. The vocals are just too good to become a problem. And it typically provides a “live” sound to many of the tracks.

However, it is rare to find a track where the violin doesn’t seem to drive much of the action. Tracks like Phantoms and Choose your Weapons Right, while they may differ significantly, both find significant string time. The later track is especially interesting with its use of “battle” sounds to introduce the song. This is one that features the male vocal, pretty much throughout the track. And the lyrics provide an opportunity to look at the track from multiple perspectives:

Don’t stop until all the bridges burn
The first thing that you have to learn is how to stay alive
Choose your weapons right / Don’s stop till your hands are blood-red
Come and protect your motherland / The battle starts tonight
Choose your weapons right

The CD closes with an interesting one, Eyes of Medusa. This one runs nearly 13 minutes and covers a lot of musical territory. You get solid operatic female vocals, some fine guitar work and that regular interesting interplay between the parts. There’s more focus on the instrumental work, the violin works overtime keeping up with the guitars. The track is a little difficult to keep up with, it seems to stop in the middle, goes silent, and then cranks up again a little later, don’t let it fool you. That last part is really nice.

Well, it may just be “another symphonic progressive” release but, at least for me, you can’t get enough of those. And this one is definitely a little different from the ordinary fare. It is NOT Nightwish, it is NOT Epica, it is NOT Within Temptation. It’s a completely different interpretation of the concept, and one I think you’ll find more than a little interesting. A few more full videos wouldn’t hurt, especially with the band performing live. When you have a look that’s as interesting as the sound, video is a requirement. It’s something to look forward to.

9 / 10

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