Review Garrett Manthei

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Reviews | Send mail to The Voice Seventh Day Slumber Has a Knack for Mediocrity Seventh Day Slumber's "Once Upon a Shattered Life" is the band's first record with the bec recording label. This change came after the success of their first album "Picking up the Pieces." -- Album art Christian hard rock/alternative music is mainly insipid, second class and, at times, bordering on copyright infringement of secular music. Most Christian rock doesn't even begin to try to be original. Seventh Day Slumber's new album, "Once Upon a Shattered Life," breaks this mold to some degree, but for the most part joins the rest of the Christian music industry in snuggling up with mediocrity. Even though Seventh Day Slumber is completely generic, all is not lost in this sophomoric effort. Seventh Day Slumber's Jeremy Holderfield provides an appropriate punch with his guitar for the genre the band fills. Distortion gives a satisfying kick, and lead vocalist Joseph Rojas does a good job of hitting his notes as well as screaming when appropriate. Unfortunately, Seventh Day Slumber's musical talent will do nothing to blow you away. The band is only passably tight and mildly proficient at the instruments they handle. To be fair, Seventh Day Slumber actually plays better than most in its field. Lyrically, Seventh Day Slumber doesn't mess around. One knows exactly what the men believe by the time the 36-minute album comes to a close. The blatantly Christian lyrics are refreshing. So many other Christian bands try to be as vague and secular as possible in their songs. Conversely, the band sacrifices most of its lyrical creativity on the altar of being blatant. The lyrics get really dry after a couple of listens because they simply lack any depth. Some lyrics even borderline on ridiculous camp, such as the opening track's bridge: "First in line, I'm last in line, First to eat, I'm last to eat." This is an obvious biblical reference; however, these lyrics show up out of nowhere and come off as pure cheese. A couple of songs stand moderately above the lackluster fray of the rest of the album. "Caroline" is a catchy track that is, without a doubt, the best on the album. This song has a satisfying verse-to-chorus transition, and its lyrics, which seem to sing about a girl who is being comforted by God's love, are not half bad. "Make Believe" is another solid cut that shows off Seventh Day Slumber's harder side while adding some nice vocal harmony. The main underlining problem with this recording is simply that it is nothing special. At all. Turn on the radio to any secular alternative rock station, and one can see exactly what Seventh Day Slumber is aspiring to be. They pioneer no new musical ground, and they don't try to distinguish themselves from any other band that has ever made hard rock. Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Reviews | Top Of Page Send mail to The Voice| Journalism department website © 2005 The Voice. No part of this publication may be reproduced in written or electronic form without prior written consent from the journalism adviser of Multnomah Bible College. All rights reserved.