THE SEVENTH POWER - Dominion & Power

http://teethofthedivine.com/site/reviews/the-seventh-power-dominion-power/

I pretty much feel the same way about the cd..... music does it.... vocals don't

Bill has been my friend since high school days and when he was younger, the Ozzy style vocals were stronger and more dynamic. What I appreciate about his playing is that he can write a killer riff with a mean hook and plays a solo for the song. I am very biased regarding his plying ablities, though I'd call him a cross between Schenker and Ronnie Montrose.

NLTM Review:
Bill Menchen is one busy musician. It seems there is constantly something coming out with his name on it. Titanic, Final Axe, Redeemer and The Seventh Power. "Dominion and Power" is the second release from The Seventh Power. The band remains the same for record number two and once again includes Stryper drummer Robert Sweet and Final Axe bassist Rod Reasner. As with most of Menchen's projects, Dominion & Power will appeal to fans of simple, straight-forward, mostly mid-paced heavy metal. Menchen seems to have an entire arsenal of classic metal riffs at his disposal. I particularly liked the machine gun riff of "Everlasting Fire". His guitar work is one of the highlights of this album, although Sweet's drumming also stands out. Those familiar with Sweet's work with Stryper know what to expect here. Robert is not overly flashy, but he certainly does have a style to his playing that sets him apart.

What sets this CD apart from the band's debut is that Menchen seems to have pursued a more stripped down, straight forward, musical direction. The keys play a less important role and many of the former symphonic and power metal touches have been removed in favor of melody. The keyboards are still present in songs like"Everlasting Fire" and "King of All Kings", but they don't seem to be the focus of the music overall. The guitars are well recorded and have a tight crunch, with the bass guitar filling in the necessary bottom end. There are some good guitar solo breaks throughout. Bill is not an overly fancy lead player, but his leads fit the feel of the song. I actually would have liked to have heard some more melodic solos and fills splashed throughout the songs.

Unfortunately, as with the debut, I find the vocals to be very distracting. Bill's vocals are pretty mundane and lacking charisma. I think what really adds to this distraction is the fact that the vocals are all very digital and processed sounding. I am not studio engineer, but I would say that there is far too much effect added to the vocals. It almost sounds robotic at times. If Bill was to get a dynamic vocalist for this band, The Seventh Power could be a force to be reckoned with. As is stands, however, Bill's vocals are pretty mundane and lacking charisma.