Review: 7 Minutes in Heaven
“Be yourself, what works for someone else usually won’t work for you - know yourself above all.” - Timmy Rasmussen on the meaning of the band’s lead single, ‘Symmetry’ (Vocalist/Guitarist of 7 Minutes in Heaven).
Four-piece Chicago-based rock band, 7 Minutes in Heaven is set to release their new EP, Symmetry on September, 15th 2017 via Rude Records. The band’s sound feels timeless and nostalgic, you will want to sing along to their tracks after the first listen. As a whole, Symmetryhas a message of wanting to get better in life, owning up to your past mistakes and realizing your full potential.
‘Better Off’ is the first song to open the EP and it feels like the band’s anthem. If you want to show someone how 7 Minutes In Heaven sounds, this track would be a great choice. It’s catchy, fast paced, and the two lead vocalist’s voices blend smoothly together. The chorus of this track hit me hard and I sung along the first time I heard it, it’s one of those songs that make you feel alive. Lyrics that stood out were “Parton my absence // I’ve misplaced my passion // got caught up in the unknown” this lyric meant a lot for me because being a young adult and finding your purpose can be difficult with so many sings telling you what to do. The band’s bassist and vocalist, Alex has an exaggerated, raspy voice that feels like 90’s nostalgia and it really shines during the chorus of ‘Better Off’.
Timmy (vocals and guitar) and Alex both have different voices but they mesh well together in every song on Symmetry. When the band’s instrumentals slow down to a light and warm guitar, Timmy voice gets softer and flows over the music calmly, this is best heard towards the end of ‘LOTL’ which is the second track on the album and one of the band’s lead singles. ‘LOTL’ means ‘Live Outside the Lines’ and relates to the EP’s theme of understanding your purpose in life. This song sounds like a plea of someone who is tired of living in stagnancy and they have realized they want more out of their life. Some lyrics that stand out in this song are “Tell me what it takes so I can live again” and “time goes ready or not // there’s nothing we can do but hold on to what we got”.
The third track on the EP is called ‘Symmetry’ and it’s the first single the band released. The song is sung with intense passion and emotion. The lyrics stir feelings of empathy in a listener and from the first verse, a story-line is established and I wanted to know more about what happened to the narrator of the song. Some lyrics that stand out are “don’t want to be the one to let you down // but I can’t keep picking up the pieces”. The track is about the realization that a relationship doesn’t work anymore and both parties are trying to find a reason to why it ended negatively and they are looking for a way to cope with the pain.
‘Wishing Well’ is the fifth song and closes out Symmetry as heaviest rock song on the EP. This track features fast drums, raging guitars paired with slight screaming vocals and heavy lyrics that ask what is the meaning of life. The narrator in the song asks questions within the lyrics like“Where is the progress?” and the lyrics express their want to keeping pushing forward, “My hope is all I lean on”. This track’s fast paced alternative rock vibe reminds me of Pierce The Veil’s debut album ‘A Flair for the Dramatic’ which is full of rage and angst.
Overall, 7 Minutes in Heaven’s Symmetry was a mature sounding ep, their grasp on mixing elements of pop-punk and rock to create a distinct sound makes me curious to see how their music will evolve.
My favorite tracks: 'Better Off' and 'Symmetry'
Check out the band's video for "Symmetry" below: