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Whether you are a fan or not, you have to admire the work
ethic and consistency of Sevendust. For the last decade, we
have been able to count on them to deliver a new album roughly
every 18 to 24 months, followed by a grueling touring schedule.
Not even the departure of one of their principal songwriters,
guitarist Clint Lowery, in 2004 slowed them down. Former Snot
axeman Sonny Mayo hopped on board and the band churned out
the raw-sounding Next less than a year later. Now,
they are already back with their sixth studio effort, Alpha
(in stores March 6, 2007).
While Next was a somewhat uneven mix of aggression
and the softer melodies that marked 2003’s Seasons,
Alpha does a superb job combing the elements that
have made Sevendust’s sound so distinctive. Huge, chunky
staccato riffs (listen closely, as the interplay between guitarists
Mayo and John Connolly is more textured and complex than you
might think), the aggressive drumming and always enraged vocals
of Morgan Rose and the instantly recognizable voice of frontman
Lajon Witherspoon virtually leap out of the speakers to assault
the listener from every angle. No band combines heaviness
and gigantic choruses as effectively, and on Alpha,
the transitions between the two sides are more natural than
ever. It is as if the band needed an album to work out the
songwriting kinks and develop a new chemistry following Lowery’s
exit. The new disc gives the musicians more of a chance to
shine than any of their previous efforts. On songs such as
“Deathstar,” “Clueless” and “Story
of Your Life” (my personal favorite), they rock out
as never before. This is a metal album through and through.
All 12 songs are worthy additions to the Sevendust catalog,
though none jumps out as a potential hit single—and
that’s not a bad thing. Sevendust has gotten some attention
at radio and MTV over the years with songs like “Angel’s
Son” and “Praise,” but they have never been
a singles band. Their fans—as devoted a following as
there is in music today—know the words to every song,
not just those they’ve heard on the radio.
By now, you probably know whether you like Sevendust or not,
and that’s not going change no matter how much I praise
this album. If you were a fan of the band’s earlier
output who was turned off by their last couple releases, you
may want to give Alpha a chance. Much of it feels
like a cross between Home and Next (though
they have never given us anything quite like the nine-minute-plus
“Burn”). The songs on this disc build on all of
the elements that helped Sevendust make their mark when they
stormed onto the scene 10 years ago with “Black”
and “Bitch.” It is their most complete album to
date.
®2007 Live-Metal.net
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