Review Summary: Don’t let the gimmicky name of the title track fool you, the song, and the entire album in general, is filled with enough promise to make this sub-19 minute listen worth all your time.
Wrestling fans would recognize
7Lions as the ones behind one of SmackDown’s latest theme songs, “Born 2 Run”. Recently, “One More Time” was featured in the tribute package for the Ultimate Warrior. And don’t let the gimmicky name of the title track fool you, the song, and the entire album in general, is filled with enough promise to make this sub-19 minute listen worth all your time.
With none of the songs crossing 4 minutes, it was clear that their intent with the EP was to make tracks that would be picked up by music directors around the world for numerous promotional videos, and in that, they have succeeded. Every song leaves a lasting impression in your brain, and you just have fun listening to them. Whether it’s Drum N’ Bass tracks like “One Man Symphony”, or pop cuts like “Taking Over”, you can’t help but nod your head to the music. For an unknown band like them, the production is top notch, and every aspect of the music is clearly defined. Forrest Fulmer’s vocals are the highlight of this album, and that is why “One More Time” is the biggest achievement on this EP.
That’s not to say that Mika “Prophet” Guillory’s rapping is poor, though, and he makes the track “Born 2 Run” what it is. Getting through this 5 track EP is no arduous process, and it would never seem overlong. In fact, as the album is over, you may find yourself humming any one of the tracks, so to that effect, they have managed to create an album worth owning. This
could have been longer, though, but it’s anyway better to leave one wanting more.
Lyrically, the band shines on “One More Time”.
“Just give me one more time, I'll swim through the high tide, I'll stand on the front lines, I'll give it all just to see your face.”, croons the singer, and listeners can easily relate to such a feeling. And while lines like
“Love’s rare, like a precious stone, diamond in the cave of your heart, where it's grown” on “Emergency”, might seem cheesy at the first glance, the overall sentiment of the songs can be appreciated. They do falter, though, and on “One Man Symphony”, a musically solid song, lyrics like
”I was there in the dark of the night time, you can always call me, I'm your life line. You’re the only one that I ever let the light shine; black out now I can’t see I'm blind”, detract, although ever so slightly.
All in all, if you’re looking for a casual listen, then 7Lions would fit seamlessly in your music library. They are not a unique band musically, but they have the potential to not get lost in the crowd as well. What separates them is their ability to create catchy songs that also carry a lot of meaning. You won’t find anything different in this EP, but you won’t find anything bad either. If this debut entry is any sign of things to come, 7Lions would become a popular band in no time. If you’re a fan of pop, rap, ballad, and everything in between, 7Lions should be on your radar as a band to keep an eye, and ear, on.
Recommended Tracks Emergency, One More Time
