Winger: Seven

OK, as album titles go, Seven ain’t the most imaginative and it feels almost superfluous to mention that this is the seventh album from hard rock veterans Winger. Thankfully that’s the only thing about this release that feels even vaguely uninspired, because the music that Kip Winger, Reb Beach, Rod Morgenstein, Paul Taylor and John Roth have conjured up here is nothing short of majestic.

If you haven’t been keeping up with the band and still connect them with the bullshit that heralded in grunge and the musical boredom that ensued, then you’ve missed out on some truly great albums from this outfit. Seven might just top the lot, although overhauling Pull as this band’s defining statement is a task and half.

“Proud Desperado� is a mighty way to begin, a guttural riff sparking and deadly as it ushers in Kip’s character driven vocals - Beach and Roth still a mighty six-string duo who are often augmented further by the fret work of keyboard player Paul Taylor. With backing vocals that feel aligned to the expert arranging Kip brings to his solo work, it’s a heady introduction, but the more brooding “Heaven’s Falling� proves a clever counterpoint. From there a foot is never put wrong, some insightful and at times world weary lyrics sitting perfectly atop a musicality that most bands operating in this arena could only dream of.

“Stick The Knife In And Twist� is every bit as sharp and cutting as its title suggests, Morgenstein’s powering beat initially disguising a subtle, invasive melody line that does indeed get right under the skin. Add in a huge, killer chorus and this song is lethal and then some. The big, mid-paced, moody chant of “Do Or Die� offers a clever change of focus, a refined maturity playing against some deceptively mellower moments, whereas “Resurrect Me� plays a much more immediate hand, proving one of the album’s most memorable sing alongs. With the scintillating “It All Comes Back Around� closing proceedings out on ever more atmospheric terms, what really strikes you about Seven isn’t just that the performances, songwriting and production are first rate, but also that Winger are still masters of the art of constructing a start to finish album that takes you on a journey you can’t help but want to repeat again and again.

With Seven, Winger have delivered a truly vital, visceral experience and one that’s sure to completely enthral their long term fanbase - and anyone else who cares lend the band their ears. Oh, and it’s wonderful to see the return of that classic, angular Winger logo front and centre on the album artwork as well!

Track Listing
1. Proud Desperado

2. Heaven’s Fallen

3. Tears Of Blood

4. Resurrect Me

5. Voodoo Fire

6. Broken Glass

7. It’s Okay

8. Stick The Knife In And Twist

9. One Light To Burn

10. Do Or Die

11. Time Bomb

12. It All Comes Back Around

Added: May 5th 2023
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Winger The Band
Hits: 1396
Language: english

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