Alternative metal can be both menacing and soulful. Just ask Sevendust.
To put it simply, Sevendust are arguably the most reliable alternative metal band of the last 25 years. Always delivering a minimum solid performance on each record (and often, a spectacular one), they’ve pushed through just about every rock and metal trend that was popular to hone in on their diehard fanbase – one that keeps growing as the years go by. Good music and songwriting never go out of style, of course, and that’s the Sevendust way.
There was a time, however, where Sevendust was under intense pressure to deliver hit records. After the slow-burning success of their 1997 self-titled debut album and 1999’s Home resulted in an appearance at Woodstock 1999, the band continued to raise their profile with huge support tours – bringing their pummeling groove and soul to bigger audiences. On 2001’s Animosity, however, it all coalesced into an album that has little in the way of discernable filler material.
From the start of album opener “T.O.A.B.”, you know Sevendust aren’t fucking around here. If you created a list of Sevendust’s heaviest moments, this one might be at the top (or at least close to it). The vocal tradeoff between Lajon Witherspoon’s soul and passion and Morgan Rose’s technical drum skills (and violent vocals) is really a hallmark of the band’s material, and this one certainly qualifies. Top it off with some straight up nasty and menacing guitar riffs of John Connolly and Clint Lowery, and you know why Sevendust is one of the best bands in the business.
There’s also plenty of mid-tempo, typical Sevendust material to go around as well. Singles like “Praise” and “Crucified” electrify with melodies and huge choruses, yet there’s still enough heaviness in the tracks to appeal to fans of Sevendust’s heavier moments. The choruses really do get stuck in your head though, with “Praise” being a particular highlight.
You want to talk about a track that doesn’t get quite enough love? The 5-minute long “Trust” fits that category. One of Lajon Witherspoon’s best vocal performances on any record and some of Morgan Rose’s more interesting drum patterns and fills make this mid-tempo track a great one. Here, it’s all about the rhythm and groove, baby. If you’re not singing this song when they play it live, WTF are you doing with your life?
Nowhere is the band’s passion burning more than on album closer “Angel’s Son”. A tribute to the late Lynn Strait, it originally appeared on a tribute album to him, but gained a wider audience on Animosity with its inclusion. An acoustically-led song that’s completely devoid of anything resembling crunchy guitar riffs and breakdowns, the song’s subject matter still weighs heavily on the heart and soul. A particular accolade also has to be given to the vocal harmonies on tracks like “Follow” and “Shine”. They’re awfully impressive!
One minute, Sevendust will have you moshing with “Dead Set” and “T.O.A.B.”, and the next they’ll have you crying on “Angel’s Son”. That ability to cover lots of ground like that really shows off their versatility and manages to still set them apart from so many bands in the scene. If anything, Sevendust’s authenticity can’t be questioned – and why would you? They’re just so consistent.
