The true test of an album for me is if I'm still listening to it a month after i buy it, and I have to say allot of albums don't get that much listenage out of me, you can tell that I truely like an album however when I can fit it into a day when I have watched/listened to the Matchbox 20 DVD and Documentary on the second disc, School of Rock and All of AC/DCs Bonfire (5 disc box set) once and am on disc 3 of the second run through. Yet still make time for TMS. It has past my great albums test, and now sits next to the likes of Back In Black, Master Of Puppets and Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls.
This Is Thunder's 7th Studio Album (hence the name) and has most definitely been well worth the wait. With Songwriter Lukemorely in flying form this is quite simply one of Thunder's best efforts, and in many fan's opinions BETTER than their first offering Backstreet Symphony, against which all subsequent Thunder releases have been Judged.
Any band that can boast the Top 30 smash 'I Love You More Than Rock 'N' Roll' as an opening track must be on to a winner. The track is one of the most complete songs and best singles to come from these shores in a long time with a wonderful chorus coupled with brilliant guitar work and more than a nod to the Western-tinged sound that is apparent throughout the whole album.
Not to be outdone, the rest of the album sees Thunder firmly planted in their groove, one that made them so popular in the late 80s/early 90s. 'The Gods Of Love' and the biting 'Monkey See, Monkey Do' are prime examples of classic Thunder ' Morley's acoustic strumming coupled with Bowes' soaring vocals.
'I'm Dreaming Again' is a great song, with some great guitar work from Luke Morley And Ben Matthews and Danny Bowe's Vocals are superb. The album then moves up a gear with the controversial 'Amy's On The Run,' a story that I'm sure will be repeated in many magazine articles over the coming months. The hard and heavy 'The Pride' continues this energetic upsurge along with the daunting, almost climatic 'Fade To The Sun,' which is currently the fan's favourite for the next single.
'Together Or Apart' is a real lighter-waving ballad, a song that I'm sure will be a live favourite on the upcoming tour and hot on the heels of FITS for the next single, and then the pace returns to full throttle with the autobiographical 'You Can't Keep A Good Man Down,' which is my personal favourite of the 11 tracks on offer.
There is a wonderful juxtaposition of sounds and textures on 'One Foot In The Grave,' which features some of the best guitar work on the album from the duo of Morley and the underrated Ben Matthews. It says something that the most disappointing track on the album is closing track, 'One Fatal Kiss,' the song that Morley penned with Russ Ballard, whose influence actually makes Thunder sound like any other rock band.
Despite that small gripe, 'The Magnificent Seventh!' is indeed a magnificent release from one of this country's overlooked rock gems and is another album that will no doubt feature highly in the end-of-year polls. Thunder are truly back on form and that is reason to celebrate because this stomps over anything that Bon Jovi, or any of the other so-called rock bands that Thunder get lumped with, have released in the past few years.
In summary get this album, you won't regret it.
