It’s a magical corner of the musical world where a band can combine an infectious nature with extreme oddness, and it’s in that corner that Idaho’s Seven Chains makes their home. Make no mistake about it, third album Swollen, In Flux is one for the oddballs, but it’s impossible to escape how catchy, how downright irresistible their riffcraft often is, and how it’s likely to draw in listeners that might not always like things so strange.
On top of that, the band occasionally layers synths and passages of haunting female vocals either to accentuate the riffier passages or to inject sections of overt eccentricity right into a song. Take all these influences and elements, add in a dynamic rhythm section performance, and you have a deeply nuanced, layered record that on paper seems to want to be grating and uncomfortable to the listener.
But here’s the kicker: none of it ever feels off-putting or overly abrasive because the riffs and rhythms are so frequently irresistibly catchy, whether they’re spiraling up into some unholy vortex or simply chugging along in a more direct drive. Yes, they might be dissonant and allergic to major keys, but they’re still the types of riffs that make you want to dust off your guitar and jam. In this way – that magical weirdly catchy quality – there’s a certain affinity to Voivod on this record. No, it doesn’t really sound like Voivod, but it’s pretty impossible to imagine Seven Chains not being fans, and like Voivod, there’s a sense of deep artistry and a progressive nature here, but shit still rocks.
These songs are also impeccably written, flowing with almost narrative ease while using key big moments to anchor each track. “Whence Blood No Longer Flows,” for example, seems to build to a stark passage of just blast beats and female vocals, but it uses this detour to build an even stronger, more determined finish to the song. “Every Flame Structured, Every Face Ablaze” similarly uses an unconventional method – this time a passage that constantly slows down – to add further emphasis to its finish. “Gestating Ash (The Thickest Darkness),” meanwhile, ups the almost covert melody, both in the rhythm guitar passages and a neat, atmospheric lead that is more chords and strumming than it is a typical solo. Finally, monster closer “The Earth’s Tentacular Cross” gets downright danceable with some bass and synth action to cut through the general maelstrom of the metal.
The only real downside of Swollen, In Flux is that it’s not the most efficient record on the planet. Right in the middle is a 5-minute synth and spoken word track that somewhat stalls the momentum. Add in an intro and interlude and you’ve got over eight minutes of non-metal material on a merely 35-minute album. This is admittedly a very minor qualm, and truthfully, sometimes you don’t get this type of artsy, idiosyncratic metal without these types of diversions, but this stuff isn’t why we’re here.
Because when the metal is raging, Swollen, In Flux is a downright rad record full of unexpected twists, dynamic performances, killer songwriting, and enough great riffage to keep you endlessly entertained. If the idea of catchy Portal or death metal VBE ever appealed, or if you just get tickled pink by catchy oddballs of the musical world, get Seven Chains in your earholes pronto.
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