The 7th Guild - Triumviro

Angry Metal Guy

To compare your band to The Three Tenors is a bold move, to say the least. By making this connection, you inherently pit yourself against three of the greatest opera singers of their time (at the very least three of the most well-known). Yet, this is exactly how SkeleToon‘s Tomi Fooler describes his freshly minted supergroup, The 7th Guild, in anticipation of their debut full-length Triumviro. Boasting his own voice in tandem with Giacomo Voli (Rhapsody of Fire) and Ivan Giannini (Vision Divine, Derdian), Tomi’s latest project attempts a symphonic power metal triple threat of the same legendary caliber as the aforementioned Tenors. It takes gumption to attempt that feat. Can The 7th Guild win over the Kendom?

The short answer is no. With nothing substantial to distinguish this project from the pool of power from which it draws deep, Triumviro proffers a particularly earnest and passionate form of overblown, hyper-melodic symphocheese. Positivity and bleeding heart melodramatics abound, surrounded by a blunderbuss of horns, keys, strings, and a too-thin layer of guitars hell-bent on proselytizing the virtues of the power chord. Unlike equally opulent acts like Twilight Force and Fellowship, The 7th Guild epitomizes the generic at every stage, so much so that at times, it is difficult even to distinguish any of the three vocalists from each other (save for one member who possesses an especially nasal, though not altogether unpleasant, tone). Nonetheless, it’s a formula that works and has worked for decades, which means that despite myself, Triumviro thrust a few of its best moments deep in my brain.

Triumviro by The 7th Guild

The 7th Guild are at their best when singing in their native Italian. Lush as the most richly layered Fleshgod Apocalypse magnum opus, “La Promessa Cremisi” revels in decadent vocal layers, a million heavily rolled ‘r’s, cinematic orchestrations, and a sky-high soaring chorus riding on the rippling back muscles of a classic power metal gallop. Insertions of Italian scattered throughout the excessive “Glorious” help offset its cringe-inducing, but sticky “YOU’RE MAKIN’ ME GLOOOOOOOOOORRRRIIOOOOUS” refrain. “In Nomine Patris” exudes regality in its fanfare, marching forth with an operatic pre-chorus followed immediately by a triumphant chorus that would be right at home on any Twilight Force epic. As if this wasn’t enough, a delightful high-octane guitar solo launches the final third in dramatic fashion, giving the final chorus the momentum it needed to justify its inclusion in the song’s six-plus-minute span. It is moments like these, among a few others spotting this forty-eight-minute runtime, that make Triumviro enjoyable and fun, at least for a moment.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of Triumviro’s successes are ephemeral, too easily overshadowed by lackluster power metal sullied further by saccharine writing and unchecked vocal exhibitions. Ballad “Time” is delicate and fluffy, but having three singers of functionally identical tone and range wailing in concert with the soaring lead guitar flattens the entire piece to the point of collapse. A total lack of tonal and textural depth persists throughout the back half of the record, continually fumbling moves that could’ve made a lasting impression. “Guardians of Eternity” borders on annoying, its vocal layering creating cacophony as one singer chooses to hold notes longer than the rest at arbitrary points, while another comes in a fraction too late to line up properly in the arrangement. Later on, one of the vocalists makes an unhinged choice attempting an operatic run in the style of Tarja Turunen. Not only does this moment clash against already tepid songwriting with its poor execution, but it also illustrates the competitive, rather than cooperative, nature of The 7th Guild’s vocal performances. Furthermore, this egregious showboating behavior puts a spotlight on the oversimplified, underutilized metallic instrumentation in the background, as demonstrated by the overwrought “The Metal Charade.” Closer “Fairy Tale” doesn’t fare much better as the over-performed, nasal balladry dominates the soundscape with questionable choices and strained reaches, all in the name of bombast.

The most damning aspect of The 7th Guild’s troubled debut is the impression it leaves with this listener. After the dust settles and I lay Triumviro to rest, I breathe a heavy sigh of relief. Its first five songs aren’t that bad, and two of those are arguably good. But even those can’t escape the problems pervading the entire record. Moreover, its second half is a clinic on what not to do, from writing to performance, on a symphonic power metal record. In short, right now The 7th Guild are closer to The Three Tricksters than The Three Tenors.

Rating: Bad
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 160 kbps mp3
Label: Scarlet Records
Website: facebook.com/the7thguild
Releases Worldwide: February 21st, 2025

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