Hello Metalheads! This is John back with another album review, this time an instrumental EP. This is a special treat that we don’t hear all that often, if ever! The EP is called Passion by the solo project Seven Works or Mercy. This is a great example of technical death metal done tastefully and with a purpose. Most tech-death heads might classify this as Neo-Classical, but I’d called it Baroque-Shred death metal! If Bach wrote metal this would be it right here.
The guy behind this project is Lucas Martinez, he is a guitarist for the power metal band Avaland. I listened to Avaland briefly and this is one hell of a drastic shift in another direction from that project. I mean no disrespect, but power metal isn’t just one of my preferred genres. I don’t know too much about the landscape or bands who dominate it, but it’s crazy to hear the comparisons from that all the way to this crazy material.
This album really got my attention as soon as I got into it. Not only was the fugue in the introduction really well executed, but the hearing the different voices in the parts were so cool to hear. In music theory we would refer to this as part writing for different voices, specifically if it were a choral work. But this can also apply to orchestral works at times and I think this is one of those times that I could apply that. There would typically be a soprano, alto, tenor and bass voice line. In this I am hearing a soprano lead, an alto line that serves many purposes including harmonizing the lead or even having its own independent lines altogether. Also the bass and tenor sounds like they are in unison an octave apart from each other playing all kinds of crazy lines as well.
While I am on the topic of music theory, there are great applications of the circle of fifths! This is a tool used throughout history for composers to turn a chord progression back towards the home key or go to another key altogether. A perfect example of this is in the second track Gates of Perception. At the 2:20 mark the chords sound like they are hopping around randomly but it is actually the circle of fifths and trying to return to the original key after modulating. The last interesting thing involving music theory is the use of a Picardy third in some of the tracks, including the introduction. This basically means that the song ends on a major one chord instead of the minor one chord. This gives the impression of a major or positive ending typically used in choral works but also used a ton in baroque works as a whole as well.
The introduction to this EP is an organ playing a fugue which was widely used in Baroque times. Gates of Perception is the first “real” track of the album and it starts in the key of E Minor. It starts right in with the shredding by two guitars, with accents from the bass and tenor lines. The drumming is straight in with blast beats to match the furious playing of the guitars. The shredding continues on until the 1:20 mark and it stops out of no where. A lone guitar line starts a fugue, then another joins before the rest of the ensemble joins. This is brilliantly executed, the counterpoint is absolutely top notch. The original section returns but is in the secondary key of B minor. The way this form works it almost functions as a sonata form which is actually primarily used in the classical era of music and for different types of pieces. The blending of forms was done almost flawlessly in this track. The repetition of the original theme in the dominant was great and the key changes had just enough suspense and suspension that it was conveyed quite nicely!
I mentioned choral works earlier regarding the part writing, this is put into display during the introduction to the finale of the EP. The choral section had a dark and foreboding feeling that leads directly into the blast beats and tremolo guitar playing when the band comes in. There are three distinct voices as always. Once this finishes the sound breaks almost into a madrigal style section with flourishing top two voices with the bottom two outlining the chords. There is a tremendous drum fillbefore a fast paced melody is played. This song has a very fast key change that surprised the hell out of me the first time I heard it. It has a couple of round through the circle of fifths that almost cement the original key before the rug is pulled out from under us at the last second. The circle of fifths start at the 2:55 and at the last second at 3:30 we are thrown into another key! Such a well done and crazy transition!
This is truly one impressive demonstration of technical and stylistic prowess. Lucas mentioned to me when I was messaging back and forth that he go into Bach at a very early age and learned to play on his guitar when he was getting more capable. The way he managed to put death metal into a Baroque form and style is masterfully done. I would easily give this a 10/10 not only because of how nerdy I am with the theory of music, but also because of just how easy this is to listen with my death metal listening background as well.
As always, don’t forget to listen to this and buy it if love it as much as I do! Links are provided down below for social and streaming platforms!
https://sevenworksofmercy.bandcamp.com/album/passion?
https://music.apple.com/us/album/passion-ep/1788547744
https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/album/1WuR7DbxDuLXypLN2iX4qr?si=RhJgWSSCSnSqsLqHbjQFXA
https://m.youtube.com/@LucasMartinezGuitar/videos?
https://www.instagram.com/sevenworksofmercy/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
https://www.facebook.com/share/1A96oUg8Rc/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Passion by Seven Works of Mercy
