The Statement: Deluxe- 7 Minutes In Heaven

7 Minutes In Heaven are an up-and-coming pop-punk band out of Chicago, Illinois. I first heard about 7MIH because one of my internet friends retweeted one of their tweets, and I thought "oh, those guys are hot". I am vain, I know. Then I went on iTunes and listened to some of their stuff and I fell in love, to put it in the simplest terms. They have a very raw sound and extremely heartfelt and relatable lyrics full of a mellow anger. 7MIH has a sound that sounds both familiar and unique at the same time, and this is something that many artists strive (and many times fail) to create.

This is a rerelease of their EP called The Statement, as you may have guessed. It is the same as their initial cut, but with the addition of the song "F.U.K." and acoustic versions of 4 of the original tracks. Before this they also had an album called Get In The Van. Their music contains, for me personally, just the right amount of screamo influence, yet is still not screaming at me. (I know many people enjoy music that does contain screaming, but I get migraines from loud noises so that's not a particularly appealing genre for me.) For the people who do enjoy screamo, I recommend this as a relaxed album with the punk influences and deep lyrics, but a more of something you can listen to when you want to be calmer.

The lyrics on each song are sang with a lot of emotion, and in a slightly raspy tone that I absolutely adore. There is a lot of drum and strong guitar lines. One of my favorite aspects of their music is the strong packing vocals, because they add layers and at time there a Blink-182esque back and forth between Alex Rogers (lead vocals/bass) and Timmy Rasmussen (guitar). On the acoustic songs, you are able to better appreciate the beautifully melodic guitar and lyrical meaning. There is some piano in place of the drums that adds to the emotion of each song. The acoustic versions allow me something that I can listen to when I'm happy, sad, or just full of quiet anger (though personally I love to listen to them while I'm falling asleep).

The song that drew me in, initially, was "Misconnections". It's a song about deceit and miscommunication. There is a really strong drumbeat that grounds the song, and adds an emotional depth that makes the song much more heartfelt. The guitar is supporting the song in a way where you don't totally notice it, because you're so wrapped up in the lyrics and drum; once you pick up on it you hear the intense complexity and beauty to it. My favorite lines from the song are "I know I got a purpose, I've just kept it bottled up inside. You kept me as a secret from the world and all things aside, you hate that I'm right" and "I know you love to doubt this, and you know that I'll live without it". To me, the song is about a unrequited or lost love; no matter what it's about it is a beautiful song full of so much emotion.

The band is just about to begin their tour supporting Hollywood Ending. They are an extremely talented group of individuals that have come together to create some amazing music. They difference in the sound of each of the songs on this album show the versatility of this band and their personal abilities as musicians. I look forward to hearing more from these guys in the future.

7 Minutes In Heaven's Website
Buy The Statement: Deluxe