May 11, 2013
"Nothing is Simple as it Seems with Sevendust" by Rey Andrade-Garza
As the first symphonic notes come to life on the song “Memory” it is apparent this won’t be just any roller coaster ride. Black Out the Sun (2013) from Atlanta, GA’s metal-based Sevendust punches out song after song, with sounds pouring out the speakers that are difficult to ignore. With a combination of melodic bliss, monstrous guitar leads and quick paces that lead you on a carousel dream. You are driven down numerous valleys of hope, despair and utter beauty. Sevendust seem to have regained their chops here on this effort. On the second track, “Faithless”-- and in a wave of scorching riffs and thunderous vocals, Lajon Witherspoon belts out, “Found my way through the eyes of hell” with unapologetic grunts that would appeal to any grindcore fan but Sevendust’s signature sound is not a one trick pony. They are the fathers of progressive melodic metal because they love to mix harmony with brutal steal. It’s apparent that in subsequent tracks “Till Death” and “Mountain” the attempt to chart familiar areas but with a new level of maturity and sound many fans predicted would come from the efforts of 2001’s Animosity. An earlier interview Clint Lowery, lead guitarist and back-up vocals called this album: “A basic Sevendust record..” and I couldn’t disagree more. Yes, the sound is unmistakable but not the risks they take on tracks like “Cold As War” where it opens with eerie orchestral and muffled guitar synths that come and return between chorus lines and reminiscent of something you might expect to hear from NIN or even Rammstein. With honest despair LaJon delivers: “Cold as war…You think I would know by now, the day is gone away, the day is gone away!” Hauntingly enough, the mood of the album creates the ambience of a lost empire into one person’s soul. Even the ballads aren’t ballads but declarations or marches of a soap box hero. The title track, “Black Out the Sun” begins innocently enough with harmonious grace and has a mid-tempo range. This is where the album divides in half in a metaphorical way in sharp and stark contrast to the songs that appear later on the album which grow darker with more melodic chorus lines and heavy distortion. Delving into parts unknown, the sounds become deeper with quick resonance like in “Nobody Want’s It”. This becomes the perfect transition for one of the standout tracks on the album: “Dead Roses”. With reckless abandonment, opaque bells and transparent lyrics: “Hate your beautiful way, we live in your game” is muddled with “Decay” which booms the strongest riffs since maybe “Enemy” or “Ugly”. By the time “Dark AM” strums into your speakers, the album has painted a clear picture of emotional neglect with raw conviction as LaJon achingly calls out: “Live until you die/Just come alive/it’s all you'll need to know.” Chills and goose bumps line my arms when the chorus unfolds with those melodic riffs. I’m rendered speechless. This song lets you know that Sevendust is not done sharing the journey humanity takes in the face of agony, trials and tribulations. Maybe, only Katatonia does melancholy better but you’ll be damned pressed to ignore the efficacy in which these songs are delivered. You might also think, so what; this band has already charted these philosophical renderings in plenty of albums, most notably, Seasons, 2003 and their last studio album Cold Day Memory, 2010. Black Out the Sun lets you know they are older, grittier, dirtier-- stamped by the rigors of time. A close look at the history of the band mirrors most people’s daily struggles. Your reminded again that Sevendust is a people’s metal band: Hardworking, grinding out this their 9th studio album. The message appears to be simple, so are the lyrics but the experience is anything but and therein lies truth as in “Picture Perfect” where it stammers into: “There's always something in the way/ I swear there's no more silver lining”. As the album reaches an ending your no closer to release or understanding but a level of acceptance appears in “Got A Feeling” that breaks down into an acoustic ballad. The Sevendust story has always been of human breakdown in its most simplest of forms. Just like an Oliver Twist ending, the album finishes with “Murder Bar” which coasts with a final slope into the roller coasters deepest drop; “With all the familiar places” and we are better for having taken the ride.
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