Heavy Laden Volume 1

"One of the first bands to feature guitarist/vocalist Bill Menchen was Redeemer, a little known melodic metal outfit that got its start in the mid-eighties and recorded a cassette only demo prior to disbanding in 1989. Menchen later joined forces with vocalist Keith Miles and formed Final Axe. Releasing the heavy metal of the bands full length debut Beyond Hell’s Gate, the two began work on a follow up effort, Burn In Hell, but went their separate ways before it could be completed. In the early nineties Menchen put together Rev Seven, a group drawing upon the best elements of Redeemer and Final Axe in the four albums it recorded between 1991 and 1999: "The Unveiling", "Hell And Back", "Seven Years Of Good Luck" and "747". Out of print and hard to find collectors items for years, all four have been recently re-recorded by Menchen and released in two volumes on Watergrave Records (a division of Retroactive Records). Heavy Laden Volume 1 includes all the songs from "The Unveiling" and "Hell And Back", while Heavy Laden Volume 2 is made up of the material off "Seven Years Of Good Luck" and "747".
Heavy Laden Volume 1 is a twenty track outing in which Rev Seven combines elements of classic metal and melodic metal with occasional forays into straightforward hard rock and doom. Fans of Saint, Judas Priest and Ozzy will find a lot to like here as will those into Bride, Dokken and Whitecross. Anyone who has followed Menchen’s career over the years, at the same time, will enjoy the influence of all his bands, both old (Redeemer, Final Axe) and new (Titanic, The Seventh Power). If classic metal appeals to you then check out "Kingdom Come" and "Power And Authorities", two guitar driven numbers standing out with their gripping chorus lines. "Over And Out" and "White Horse Man" both come across catchy and heavy as well. Rev Seven moves in a more melodic direction with "Chains", perhaps the albums most commercial sounding track, while "Dead Right Now" and "Save Me" both make effective use of keyboards. All in all, Heavy Laden Volume 1 proves a consistent effort in that out of its remaining 13 compositions I hit the skip button only a couple of times."

Lineup

Bill Menchen - Vocals/All Instrumentation