Artist: Sevendust
Album: Next
Label: 7Bros/Winedark Records
Release Date: 10/11/2005
Sevendust was brought to us via the late 90's wave of Nu-Metal that took the country by storm for a dismal few years. Yes, even I was carried away with it to a point. It was something new, and I'm the first to check something out, no matter how good or bad it may be and then can look back later on and think "Hell yeah, I loved that band" or "What the hell was I thinking when I bought THAT!?". In any case, Sevendust always stuck with me and I thought that they transcended the genre in a certain way and were able to seperate themselves from the pack. The songs were better and the vocals were just too good to deny. To this day, I really think that Sevendust has not gotten a fair shake at times and they deserve way more recognition and attention then they get.
After four albums with TVT records, Sevendust delivers "Next", their first album on their own 7Bros. label. Also new is guitarist Sonny Mayo who came on board after Clint Lowery left the group to form his own band, Dark New Day. With business, and personnel in place, the band embark on a new era in their career, and take us all along for the ride.
The overall vibe of "Next" appears to me to be the heaviest its been in years. Not since their debut disc was released in 1997 have I heard songs so ferocious and urgent as "Hero" and "The Last Song". I'm not sure if its the current trends in metal or the addition of a new member that has inspired this turn, but its definitely refreshing.... seeing as how their last two albums "Seasons" and "Animosity" seemed to have the band stuck in a mid-tempo rut, maybe indicating the band was complacent, or spinning its wheels.
Its tough for a lot of bands from this sub-genre to hang on these days and still be able to tour, record, etc. etc., but I think Sevendust have taken the proper steps to ensure at least a few more years of stability and staying power. Sometimes you have to rethink some strategies and retool a few things here and there to survive, and with "Next", the band have surely done it. The Sevendust signatures that the fans know and love are of course still there, but something is different, and its not really something you can put your finger on. They haven't done anything drastic or tried to reinvent the wheel or anything.....however, its plain to see this band have recharged their batteries, and upped the positivity a bit and are ready to show the rock world that they are still hungry and relavant.
Track Listing:
Hero
Ugly
Pieces
Silence
This Life
Failure
See And Believe
The Last Song
Desertion
Never
Shadows In Red
Artist Website Altsounds Profile 
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Sevendust - Next
