Seven Steps to the Green Door "Fetish"

[Wounded Land]

I did a search and didn't find a thread about this album, but I just finished my second spin and, wow, this is some impressive stuff. I guess this would be considered neo-prog but the instrumentation is a more elaborate than that description may suggest. The arrangements are really good...the songs are all on the longish side (6-9 minutes) but nothing ever drags. The playing is sharp and very tasteful, and the vocal performances and melodies (a mixture of male and female vocals) are top-notch. You can hear lots of little snippets of approaches and ideas from a dozen of different bands/prog sub-genres (even a little djent at one point), but it all comes off as a completely cohesive whole.

I'm very, very impressed with these guys. Any other fans?

[proggosaurus]

yep! do yourself a favor and get the other three releases. might be hard to find The Puzzle in physical format unless it's in stock at PPR. check out the bands Flaming Row and Toxic Smile as well.

[Skeptrick]

Really enjoying this band lately and Toxic Smile as well. Haven't heard Flaming Row, but I will check them out.

[emperorken]

Although I liked Fetish, I still prefer Toxic Smile. Their new album consists of one 42 minute track. And it is quite good.

[adap2it]

Played Fetish last night, a coincidence or what? Really enjoyed it. I don't consider it to be a neo prog release, some very Gentle Giant sounding moments, and other obvious influences...

[TheH]

There is also an interesting Album of cover Versions by MELANIE MAU & MARTIN SCHNELLA - Gray Matters

This one Features members of SSTTGD, Toxic Smile and Flaming Row

[proggosaurus]

There is also an interesting Album of cover Versions by MELANIE MAU & MARTIN SCHNELLA - Gray Matters

This one Features members of SSTTGD, Toxic Smile and Flaming Row

Kansas - "The Pinnacle" - Cover By Melanie Mau & Martin Schnella (feat. Leo Margarit & Marek Arnold)

yes indeed, that's good stuff. great acoustic cover of Miracles Out Of Nowhere. there's some great kinship between these guys and gals. Marek Arnold always seems to be in the middle too.

other recs...Cyril - Through Time and Space (Gone Through Years/2013). the Toxic Smile DVD ...in Classic Extension is fantastic but unfortunately OOP.

Toxic Smile - Pyramid (...in Classic Extension)



and I'll be grabbing this one soon I hope The Pack Reloaded - Never Too Late

[TheH]

Marek Arnold is a very busy guy indeed. He and Larry B. from Toxic Smile also played in Stern Combo Meissen for some time.

[jlneudorf]

"The Fetish" is really an outstanding release. It's quite a diverse sounding album as well, pretty quirky in spots thus alleviating any issues with boredom. Really a top notch album from 2015.

Regards,
Jon

[TheH]

Melanie Mau of SSTTGD now also takes on the vocal duties for another of my favourite German Prog bands Frequency Drift:
(Martin Schnella is there also of course)

[proggosaurus]

if anyone is considering investing in Seven Steps entire catalog (4 albums), there are a couple of noteworthy things which should be mentioned. it concerns the 3rd album, The?Book.

first...with the growing trend of digital downloads, buyers beware! make sure you purchase it from an honorable source. even then, check the track times. below is the track listing with times. the tracks (7 & 8) with the red times included are being sold with part of those two songs missing. I'm assuming it's a bad mp3 rip which has been shared among the more nefarious sites which sell albums at remarkably reduced prices. still yet, check the times.

#01 - Prologue (A Man And The Book) 4:19
#02 - The Empty Room/The Realization 6:04
#03 - The Crying Child (1st Nail) 3:47
#04 - The Healing Wonder (2nd Nail) 5:55
#05 - The Dividing Water (3rd Nail) 8:21
#06 - The Last Supper (4th Nail) 4:27
#07 - The Eternal Abstinence (5th Nail) 8:06.....(6:13)
#08 - The Deadly Crucifixion 6:47......(4:26)
#09 - The Green Door (Looking for the Last Solution) 9:52
#10 - Epilogue (A Bird and The Book) 5:40

second....there is a free app for iOS devices available for download at iTunes. it's an interactive game of The?Book for iPhones and iPads. English and German

[doh]

Very cool. I was not aware of the app. Downloading now.

I also really enjoyed Fetish on progstreaming and it's on my buy list now.

[Wounded Land]

Melanie Mau of SSTTGD now also takes on the vocal duties for another of my favourite German Prog bands Frequency Drift:
(Martin Schnella is there also of course)

Oh, didn't realize that. Thanks.

[Orcopian]

They were one of the best bands at the Summer's end festival last weekend. I'd never really heard of them before but I thought they were really excellent, really good musicians and vocals and a varied sound. I ended up buying their last 3 CDs from their merch desk. Marek Arnold also put in a good shift as part of guy manning's excellent new project Damanek

[Progbear]

Somebody mentioned this in another thread, I can’t remember which. Anyway, I filed the name away but forgot about it. Will have to check them out. I had no idea there was a Stern Meissen connection.

[interbellum]

Melanie Mau + Martin Schnella just released Crowdless Sessions, a CD/DVD-set featuring live (yeah, without audience) performed songs from some of their albums, including a Flaming Row-medley.