For some, the name Sevendust doesn’t ring a bell, but the band has been around since 1994! Their new album, All I See Is War will be the 12th album on their discography. So if you are among those who don’t know Sevendust yet… Perhaps it’s time for you to catch up! Sevendust is an alternative metal band who, even after 20+ years, still consist out of the same members. For those who think they’re unfamiliar with the band, there is still hope. If you occasionally listen to rock and metal radio stations you may have heard a few songs pass along and subconsciously know some! Either way, let’s dig into the new album and see what it has to offer!
Sevendust is:
John Connolly (Guitars, vocals)
Morgan Rose (Drums, vocals)
Lajon Witherspoon (Lead vocals)
Vince Hornsby (Bass)
Clint Lowery (Guitars, vocals)
The album starts off strong with a more traditional Sevendust feel to it. Both Dirty and God Bites His Tongue provide the heavy guitars and drums accompanied by the melodic, emotional and vocal style that ranges from clean, to scream and many styles along the way that are to be expected from a Sevendust song. Dirty was also the first song of the album that was made into a music video. Along with Not Original, both videos are portrayed with a similar theme. Set in a dark room with many futuristic visual effects.
Medicated goes a little easier on the drums and adds piano halfway through the song for a more melodic feel before returning to the heavy sound and ending the song on a strong note. Personally, Unforgiven strongly reminds me of Strong Arm Broken from the Cold Day Memory album. Parts of it feel metalcore-ish, but those parts often don’t last long. Is there an unspoken five second rule to when a song’s music style changes? Because it feels like Unforgiven is more often than not merely five seconds away from a breakdown.
Cheers is one of the few songs that immediately stood out to me. The build-up heavily reminded me of the opening on Rammstein‘s Ich Tu Dir Weh. It got me hyped for another heavy song, and Cheers definitely delivered what was expected.
Moments provides an interesting sound wherein the heavy Sevendust sound is combined with a more melodic approach on the piano and a fitting guitar solo. Followed by Not Original, which is a lot softer and emotional sounding compared to the other songs on this album. Which is a good thing, as a change of pace in music is often very helpful to better appreciate the other songs on the album. This does not mean that Not Original is a “bad song”, just that it provides contrast to the other songs, which balances the album as a whole.
If you’ve missed the feel of the drums from Splinter (Cold Day Memory), The Truth will certainly provide what you’re looking for as certain drum patterns share similarities. Other than that, The Truth ends the album with one final heavy song.
All in all, I would recommend this album. It definitely sounds like something to be expected from a Sevendust album, so it meets the expectations. Strong and heavy music as always… as always… So I’m slightly disappointed as far as originality goes, but I’m certainly not complaining! Rock on!
Release date: May 11th , 2018
Label: Rise Records
Tracklist:
1. Dirty
2. God Bites His Tongue
3. Medicated
4. Unforgiven
5. Sickness
6. Cheers
7. Risen
8. Moments
9. Not Original
10. Descend
11. Life Deceives You
12. The Truth
