Long Time Kansas member Billy Greer
re-joins forces with Mike Slamer
for blistering new release on Frontiers Records
Fans of melodic, progressive hard rock have been waiting a long time for this: I Will Survive, the new album by Seventh Key, and the first new CD of studio recordings since 2004’s The Raging Fire. Spearheaded by long time Kansas bassist / vocalist Billy Greer and guitarist / keyboardist Mike Slamer (ex-City Boy, Streets, Steelhouse Lande), they are joined by drummer Chet Wynd and a slew of special guests.
“I think the new CD is maybe a little bit more hard-edged and a little more progressive,” says Greer, who remains an active member of Kansas. ” I was also able to enlist my Kansas bandmate and friend, David Ragsdale, to play on four tracks. That, in itself, added a whole new element to the album.”
Formed in 2001 as a side- project for Greer and Slamer (the two had played together in the early 1980s in Streets with Kansas’s vocalist Steve Walsh), Seventh Key released an acclaimed self-titled debut but then went dormant again due to the member’s previous commitments. The group resurfaced in 2004, with the compelling album, The Raging Fire, and a live CD/DVD the following year.
I Will Survive, with its prophetic title, re-establishes Greer and Slamer’s commitment to the band, Seventh Key. “I wanted to do more music with Mike,” said Greer. “We have a great friendship and we have a strong work ethic. When we get in the studio, things seem to always click.”
Part of Seventh Key’s musical magic comes in its ability to effectively blend both melodic hard rock and intricate progressive music. They deliver powerful songs and production values that always include big sonic landscapes.
I Will Survive is scheduled for release on Frontiers Records on November 1st 2013 in Europe and November 5th in North America.
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