With his latest single “Not to Be Taken”, UK-based artist THE7THGATEKEEPER proves once again that heavy music can be both brutally raw and deeply personal. Known for crafting uncompromising sounds that blur the line between chaos and precision, he delivers a track that doesn’t just hit hard sonically — it resonates with emotional weight.
What makes “Not to Be Taken” especially impressive is that every element of the track was written, arranged, and performed by THE7THGATEKEEPER himself. From the grinding guitars to the layered vocals, the song reflects his singular vision. After self-mixing the track, it was sent off to Romesh Dodangoda at Longwave Studios in Cardiff for mastering, giving it the final polish needed without stripping away its grit.
Musically, the track draws from the heavier end of his influences. Early Slipknot echoes can be heard in the intensity and chaotic layering of vocals, while Lamb of God’s riff-driven heaviness shapes the guitar work. The result is a sound that is dark, relentless, and intentionally messy in places — a sonic embodiment of struggle and unrest.
The decision to layer multiple vocal takes adds to this chaos, but in a way that serves the track’s narrative. Rather than overwhelming, it feels purposeful, pulling the listener into the storm that THE7THGATEKEEPER wants them to experience.
At its core, “Not to Be Taken” is about those aspects of life that are inescapable, no matter how much we may want to leave them behind. For THE7THGATEKEEPER, it’s a reflection of personal and complicated issues he’s navigated throughout his life — struggles that feel too heavy to fully put into words, but find release through music.
The track nearly wasn’t released at all, due to its personal nature, but ultimately, he chose to share it in the hope that listeners could take something from it as well. This vulnerability is what gives the song its lasting impact — beneath the crushing riffs and feral energy lies an artist willing to bare his truth.
Recorded entirely in his “small chaos room” at home, “Not to Be Taken” captures the spirit of DIY authenticity. Far from glossy studio perfection, it thrives on grit and imperfection, making the emotional honesty impossible to ignore.
In a heavy music landscape often dominated by overproduction, “Not to Be Taken” stands out for its rawness and sincerity. It’s not just a song built for headbanging — it’s a song built from lived experience, one that acknowledges pain, conflict, and the weight of things we cannot escape. That combination of brutal sound and personal storytelling is what gives THE7THGATEKEEPER his unique edge.
“Not to Be Taken” is not just a standalone release — it’s also a preview of what’s to come. The track will appear on THE7THGATEKEEPER’s second original album, set to drop later this year, with writing and recording already near completion. Following that, fans can look forward to a second covers EP in spring next year.
With “Not to Be Taken”, THE7THGATEKEEPER channels chaos into catharsis, pairing aggressive riffs and layered screams with a story that is deeply personal. It’s proof that heavy music doesn’t have to be detached or abstract — it can be a vessel for confronting the struggles that define us.
This track isn’t just meant to be heard. It’s meant to be felt, wrestled with, and remembered.
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