# How do you rank Sevendust’s albums?



## duffbeer33 (Mar 5, 2018)

I heard Denial on the radio in ’99 and something just immediately clicked for me with this band. The thick heavy low end of their sound combined with their ability to keep it musical and melodic has been the reason they’ve been my favorite band ever since. I thought this would be a fun exercise. They have 10 albums at this point and have another on the way, so it’s a perfect time to rank ‘em. I’m not including the acoustic album. 

Best to Worst:
1. Animosity – I think this album captures the essence of 7D the best. Drums and guitar tone are phenomenal on this record. Having “Praise” and “Angel’s Son”, two of the bands biggest singles, gives the album instant credibility. The latter half of the album has some highly underrated tracks like “Shine” and “Damaged” which are gripping lyrically. Still sounds great 15 years after release. 

2. Home – In my opinion, their heaviest record. They came out of the gate with the title track “Home”, which had guitars tuned down to G#. Not many bands were doing that back in 1999. “Denial”, “Waffle”, and “Rumble Fish” were all monster tracks while one of my personal favorites, “Crumbled”, had an absolutely crushing bass tone. The two featured tracks, “Licking Cream” and “Bender” are probably the best guest vocals they've had. 

3. Black Out the Sun – I think this is the band’s best work after Clint Lowery returned. “Decay” was a good lead track, while “Faithless” and “Black out the Sun” are examples of strong songwriting. I felt that they maintained a great balance of style on this record, with “Till Death” among their heaviest tracks ever, coupled with an impressive acoustic/ballad in “Got a Feeling”. 

4. Seasons – Some Sevendust die-hard fans lost faith in the band with the release of Seasons because of a more radio-friendly sound. However, years later, this album still fits very well in the 7D body of work. “Enemy”, “Seasons”, and “Face to Face” are extremely strong tracks. 

5. Sevendust – Their debut release had some good moments with “Black” and “Bitch”, however I always felt that things tapered off a bit after about the first 4 tracks. Very raw sound here and some glimpses of masterful songwriting are evident, but to me, things always felt a little disjointed on the latter half of this album. 

6. Cold Day Memory – When Clint Lowery came back to the band in 08, the expectations were extremely high. I believe this album outperformed all three prior releases but did not top their earlier work. It was more consistent and mature sounding (I’ll attribute that to their work with producer Johnny K), but not an album I have to listen to over and over.

7. Alpha – Lots of chugging on this and very heavy, but that doesn’t make it the best. I always thought “Feed” and “Suffer” were highlights here, while “Deathstar” , “Confessions of Hatred”, and “Alpha” were face rippers, but the rest of the album, to me, was not memorable.

8. Kill the Flaw – This record was solid but I thought it felt a little boring and it just didn’t do it for me. Very few harmonies stuck in my head from this album. My theory is that they lost a little bit of the magic on this record after recording three straight albums at the same studio. 

9. Next – “Ugly” was radio-ready, “Pieces” was added to many of their live shows, but other than that, there isn’t very much to remember here. The two acoustic songs on the album are not particularly good, and many of the songs are littered with Morgan’s screams. I believe they were trying to fill the void that was lost when Clint left the band and the product was just a bit messy.

10. Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow – I think this was their weakest effort for a variety of reasons. Sure, nothing is terrible here, but there’s just nothing that stands out. “Prodigal Son” is the main single here, and while it is catchy, I always thought it was one of their weakest singles.

Tell me why my list is wrong!


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## ArtDecade (Mar 5, 2018)

duffbeer33 said:


> Tell me why my list is wrong!



It is wrong, because they are actually all tied for tenth place.


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## duffbeer33 (Mar 5, 2018)

cool.


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## spudmunkey (Mar 5, 2018)

1. Sevendust
2. Home
3. Wait...there's more?

I kid, but I will say that Sevendust was the headliner at probably my favorite show I've ever been to. Skunk Anansie, Powerman 5000 (well...that's what I keep finding online about that tour, but I swear it was Stuck Mojo), Staind with Sevendust as the headliner. Not saying it was my favorite music or bands, but just everything about that show, the venue, my mood, the weather, who I was with, it all made for such an amazing show.


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## jwade (Mar 5, 2018)

1. Home
2. Animosity
3. Sevendust
4. All the rest tied because I haven't bothered listen to any of them more than a couple times. Just haven't been able to get into any of them after Animosity. There were a bunch of good songs littered throughout the albums, but as a whole, just a lot of kinda forgettable stuff.


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## Triple7 (Mar 5, 2018)

I definitely loved their earlier stuff, but lost track after Animosity. Big fan of Lowery's guitar work, so I will definitely check out the albums after his return, as per your write up!

Out of the first 3, I'd rate them as:

1) Home
2) Sevendust
3) Animosity 

I got into them right when the first record came out. I heard "Black" on the radio, and was blown away. I think that the first album has a ton of really good tracks on it.


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## JD27 (Mar 5, 2018)

Always enjoyed Sevendust, though mainly the earlier albums. Been good live when I have seen them too.

1. Animosity 
2. Home
3. Seasons
4. Sevendust 
5. Alpha
6. The rest aren’t by any means awful, but just don’t really stand out for me.


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## Ralyks (Mar 6, 2018)

I use to jam the hell out of s/t, Animosity was cool and how I learned about them, I came to appreciate Home later on... um, I remember checking out Alpha and it had some cool bits... huh, maybe I should check out those other records in this age of streaming music...


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## Coryd (Mar 6, 2018)

1. Sevendust
2. Animosity
3. Home
4. Seasons

I was a HUGE sevendust fan, but really after Seasons...nothing else was memorable to me. I hear a song and think...meh...
Idk, i still love watching Sevendust as they put on a great show, but something is just missing now. Whatever magic or drive they had for these 1st four albums to me is gone.


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## Triple-J (Mar 6, 2018)

7D are way more talented than many of their peers Lajon is a unique singer and when paired with Clint I'm reminded of how Layne and Jerry used to work in AiC but post 2004 their albums have been solid yet predictable yes there's a few great tracks on each one but when a band puts out a ten track album every other year and half of it's filler something is wrong. 
IMO whats hampered the band is they can't afford to get a better producer to help them diversify their sound cut the fat and perhaps bring back elements they've lost for example the 1st album has some funky moments going on (Terminator!) but they've never really gone back to that.

Anyway gripe over here's my picks
1) Home
2) Animosity
3) Sevendust
4) Everything else


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## RevDrucifer (Mar 6, 2018)

I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment. 

I got into them around Animosity and it was actually Morgan's playing that really got me into them, then after digging in a bit, I became a devout Clint fan. His tone on Animosity is RIDICULOUS and is the definitive MkIV tone, for me. Even above Petrucci's usage of them.

Seasons is actually my 2nd favorite, though it's not the heaviest. I just dig the tunes and it reminds me of a special point in my life. I've seen them 4-5x now and it's always a killer show. A few years back, I was trying to get my drinking under control and Clint actually helped me out big time via Twitter. Reaching out and checking up on me from time to time, it was more than most other people I saw daily did for me. A few years later, I wanted him to sign my JEM, so I went to the venue and parked my car next to their bus. After getting Clint's autograph, Lajon came out and shot the shit for a bit, asked if I was going to the show, which I wasn't, because I was BROKE. Lajon replied "What? Yes you ARE! How many tickets you need man?", then yelled to his TM to get me and +1 on the list. Went back later for the show and got in without a hitch.

I'm really hoping the new one has a slight different feel to it. They can use a bit more diversity in their music, something more than verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus. They're all such outstanding musicians, I just want them to write a record for themselves for once instead of what they believe the fans want. We've already gotten record after record of that.


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## wankerness (Mar 6, 2018)

Jesus Christ, they have too many albums. I checked out after the fifth one. After Seasons and Next, it seemed like they'd done everything they were going to do.

Animosity
Home
Seasons
S/T
Next

None of them were bad, Seasons and especially Next just seemed to start getting into filler territory between the catchy choruses. Animosity and Home are really beastly albums though. Animosity is stronger, Home has a few kinda weak tracks (I'm not big on the Chino song for example). I heard a cover band do "Black" from the S/T a few weeks ago and despite myself, I got all hyped up. They had great riffing. It was simple, it had very little melody, but it was really distinctive and went perfectly with the vocals.

Looks like I should check out your #3 since I agree very much with your comments on the ones I've heard!


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## Quiet Coil (Mar 6, 2018)

I’d say Time Travelers & Bonfires is probably their favorite of mine since Clint returned, even if it is only ~1/2 new material. Not sure if by “acoustic album” you were referring to that or Southside Double-Wide (also a great album).

Other than that my highlights would be similar to everyone else’s. I will say that Morgan was probably my favorite all around drummer up until Clint left, ever since then it feels like he’s been phoning it in.

EDIT: The problem with Animosity and especially Home is that I’m pretty sure they were products of TVT trying to shoehorn them into the “Nu Metal” market. This produced some excellent albums, but they’ve likely been truer to themselves since switching labels.

I even remember some interview where they talked about the record company wanting them to sound like The White Stripes (and their properly measured response with leaving TVT and putting out NEXT ).

And yeah I’m a fan for life, even if they are “past their prime”.


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## chipchappy (Mar 6, 2018)

Home is probably one of the earliest incarnations of djent I've ever heard. Great album. Animosity was good too.

Everything else is terrible imho


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## chewpac (Mar 7, 2018)

Some harsh critiques in this thread. First time I heard Denial and Reconnect, I was hooked, man. And then Animosity....done. Been a fan since.

I’ll agree that animosity and home are tops, with seasons a close third, for me. When Clint left I stuck with them, and Alpha was heavy and a little unique, but Next and Chapter VII were not the best. Since Clint came back I’ve been digging the records they’ve been putting out again. 

Cold day memory has some great stuff, possibly some of the best melodies and hooks in their catalogue, and some great solos. And Karma. 

Black out the sun was a very strong album that, imho, was hampered badly by its mix/mastering. I find that album pretty hard to listen to, which sucks, because there is great material there. 

I thought Kill the Flaw was pretty solid, too. It’s not quite as memorable as the other two, but pretty consistently strong the whole way through. 

They are a band I like to follow. Great dudes and hard working guys. Their music has been an influence on me for a long time.


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## jwade (Mar 8, 2018)

Man, relistening to the albums in order is nice. I can't get over how well Home stands up still. Just as crushing and beautiful and impressive as it was the first time I heard it. 

What a fucking great album.


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## Coryd (Mar 8, 2018)

Off the topic a bit, but i always thought that they used some kind of Mesa stuff on Animosity...turns out John told me yesterday they used his Randall Titan amp (which is for sale at a STEEP price!) and a Marshall amp on all the rhythm tracks.

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014327&icep_item=112446067093


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## duffbeer33 (Mar 8, 2018)

That's an awesome bit of information, thanks for sharing. Pretty cool that the Randall amp has the ND logo still on there, I remember when John always used to wear that Notre Dame jersey when they played live. So John used the Marshall and Randall, and Clint must have been using the MKIV (as someone commented earlier). The low end on that album is just so massive. Years ago Ultimate-Guitar had a good write-up on the recording of the album. John indicated that he and Clint both wrote music for the album during a 3-4 month period. He mentioned that they had written about 40 songs for the record and then cut it down to the final 13, which I think is the reason that the album is so rock solid. 

On another note, the most impressive thing about Home is that the music was recorded LIVE in the studio. I don't think many bands do that anymore, and with the number of effects they used on that record, very solid musicianship is required to pull that off.


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## Coryd (Mar 8, 2018)

duffbeer33 said:


> That's an awesome bit of information, thanks for sharing. Pretty cool that the Randall amp has the ND logo still on there, I remember when John always used to wear that Notre Dame jersey when they played live. So John used the Marshall and Randall, and Clint must have been using the MKIV (as someone commented earlier). The low end on that album is just so massive. Years ago Ultimate-Guitar had a good write-up on the recording of the album. John indicated that he and Clint both wrote music for the album during a 3-4 month period. He mentioned that they had written about 40 songs for the record and then cut it down to the final 13, which I think is the reason that the album is so rock solid.
> 
> On another note, the most impressive thing about Home is that the music was recorded LIVE in the studio. I don't think many bands do that anymore, and with the number of effects they used on that record, very solid musicianship is required to pull that off.



I'm going to try to reach out to John again and see but originally i asked him if they used Mesa at all and he just replied, Marshall and Randall. I gotta admit...I love the tones on Animosity! The mix of that album is great IMO! 

I remember reading somewhere that Home was recorded on a farm. If i'm not mistaken it was Long View Farm Studios. I remember seeing 7D on tour for this album and they opened for Creed. 7D blew Creed out of the water!!! I remember just sitting with my jaw on the floor watching Morgan killing it on drums!!! He puts so much energy into his playing!!!


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## RevDrucifer (Mar 9, 2018)

I wonder if the Randall/Marshall was just what John used? 

Animosity sounds like a celebration of a MkIV to me. That spongy, sagging, huge bottom end sound.....ohhhh I love it. Funnily enough, I don't get on with that sound for my own playing style as of yet.


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## Hellbound (Mar 9, 2018)

Their album "Black Out the Sun" really threw me off guard in an awesome way...this album is IMO their heaviest and best written. Most of their stuff after denial bored me to death...except for maybe their album "Next" which I I did also fall in love with at the time but it is still nowhere near the intensity of "BOTS". It just seems like most of their stuff sounds so alike...kinda like what "disturbed" does...


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## duffbeer33 (Mar 11, 2018)

Ugh...Disturbed....


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## mongey (Mar 11, 2018)

ArtDecade said:


> It is wrong, because they are actually all tied for tenth place.


well played


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## Shoeless_jose (Mar 12, 2018)

Yeah the tied for 10th gets my vote...

That flame les paul with the dice, I could never listen to them seriously.


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## Quiet Coil (Mar 12, 2018)

Dineley said:


> Yeah the tied for 10th gets my vote...
> 
> That flame les paul with the dice, I could never listen to them seriously.



You’re getting John’s Epi sig confused with the Flamekat from the same era, which I would argue wasn’t as hideous as his sig.

I would also argue that his brass-nutted, maple-boarded, flame-graphic-over-transparent-black-flamed-maple les paul was so ugly it was beautiful. 

Haters gonna hate!


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## JD27 (Mar 12, 2018)

Yep... I found both hideous, but I can't say someones guitar choice ever left me unable to enjoy their music. 

Flamekat






John Connolly


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## synrgy (Mar 12, 2018)

I have to admit I pretty much checked out after Home. Don't get me wrong - I loved the album. I just moved away from the genre, basically. Until this thread, I had no idea A) they were still going and/or B) that they had such a deep catalog.

I just took quick scan through Kill The Flaw and was disappointed - "Not Today" being a standout exception.

I'll say they were the tightest (arguably 'best'?) live band I ever saw, which was what made me run out and buy Home, at the time. I'll also say I think they do 'their sound' better than the countless imitators out there.


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## Shoeless_jose (Mar 12, 2018)

JD27 said:


> Yep... I found both hideous, but I can't say someones guitar choice ever left me unable to enjoy their music.
> 
> Flamekat
> 
> ...




The guitar didn't make me not like the music, that sort of music in general doesn't interest me.... the like semi heavy hard rock kind of thing, Saliva, Trapt, Chevelle, Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Staind.... ect, these guys seemed to fit in that vein from my limited exposure, but commenting in the guitar was basically the only meaningful input I could have on the thread.


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## jwade (Mar 12, 2018)

I was listening through their albums in order, and found that Seasons had a few songs I dug, and Next and Alpha had maybe two each. I think I burnt myself out on them for a bit before I listen to the remaining albums.

One thing I noticed is that after Anomosity, everything seems to have that overly Staind-sounding chorus formula applied.


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## lucasreis (Mar 13, 2018)

Kill the Flaw is my favorite right now and I've been a fan since the beggining. Forget is fucking awesome and Death Dance is my jam.


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## chewpac (Mar 14, 2018)

lucasreis said:


> Kill the Flaw is my favorite right now and I've been a fan since the beggining. Forget is fucking awesome and Death Dance is my jam.



No Today is great, too...

I think Kill the Flaw is a pretty strong album.


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## wankerness (Mar 14, 2018)

jwade said:


> I was listening through their albums in order, and found that Seasons had a few songs I dug, and Next and Alpha had maybe two each. I think I burnt myself out on them for a bit before I listen to the remaining albums.
> 
> One thing I noticed is that after Anomosity, everything seems to have that overly Staind-sounding chorus formula applied.



Yeah. Seasons and especially Next got way too into the verse-chorus thing, and you could tell they put all their effort into writing the choruses and had a bunch of stock riffs for the verses. The verses are so dull and perfunctory and the choruses are so big (and too polished).

I dunno if Staind is an apt comparison, although I stopped listening to them after their second album! They seemed to put equal effort into the verses and choruses on Break the Cycle, even if it was a big step down from Dysfunction. There's still some good stuff on it. I love the super heavy first distorted riff on Open Your Eyes, and Can't Believe, and even Outside isn't nearly as bad as the acoustic version that was a huge hit. But yeah, Sevendust wasn't nearly as whiny.


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## Jamey36 (Mar 15, 2018)

Animosity by far!Heavy,but great songwriting.It was great that Clint came back,except,that Dark New Day album was absolutely phenomenal to me!


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## chewpac (Mar 16, 2018)

Jamey36 said:


> Animosity by far!Heavy,but great songwriting.It was great that Clint came back,except,that Dark New Day album was absolutely phenomenal to me!



The first dark new day album was awesome .


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## KnightBrolaire (Mar 16, 2018)

I've never really given sevendust a fair chance, I always assumed they were just another meh butt rock band like seether or shinedown


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## Quiet Coil (Mar 16, 2018)

New single’s out. Not likely to change any minds, but I dig it.


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## duffbeer33 (Mar 18, 2018)

Noisy Humbucker said:


> New single’s out. Not likely to change any minds, but I dig it.



I like it better than the "Decay" and "Thank You" (the lead releases off their last two albums). Not sure about the bridge section though, it just doesn't seem to fit the rest of the song. Clint's solo is good but the end of it sounds similar to many of his other solos. He uses that same scale shape often.


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## Quiet Coil (Mar 18, 2018)

duffbeer33 said:


> Not sure about the bridge section though, it just doesn't seem to fit the rest of the song. Clint's solo is good but the end of it sounds similar to many of his other solos. He uses that same scale shape often.



That interlude almost killed the song for me the first few times, but the rest grooves so solidly that it grew on me.

And yeah, that little lick is Clint’s “signature” as far as I’m concerned.


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## duffbeer33 (Mar 18, 2018)

Haha, well I guess if he plays it enough, he basically owns it. I do recall that he said he ripped that idea from Zakk Wylde because it was a trick to make it sound like you were playing faster than you actually are. It's just funny because the solos in songs like "Mountain", "Nowhere", and "The End is Coming" ALL have that exact same lick. Hell I even think Dark New Day's "Taking my Alive" has it.


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## BrailleDecibel (Mar 19, 2018)

duffbeer33 said:


> Haha, well I guess if he plays it enough, he basically owns it. I do recall that he said he ripped that idea from Zakk Wylde because it was a trick to make it sound like you were playing faster than you actually are. It's just funny because the solos in songs like "Mountain", "Nowhere", and "The End is Coming" ALL have that exact same lick. Hell I even think Dark New Day's "Taking my Alive" has it.


I didn't listen to all of those songs, but I can confirm that "Taking Me Alive" has that lick for sure...just went and compared the two, and just after the start of the solo of "Taking Me Alive", in a different key, is a dead ringer for the end of the solo for "Dirty". Good catch!


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## Coryd (Mar 20, 2018)

chewpac said:


> The first dark new day album was awesome .



Indeed! The first DND album was good...2nd was just meh.



BrailleDecibel said:


> I didn't listen to all of those songs, but I can confirm that "Taking Me Alive" has that lick for sure...just went and compared the two, and just after the start of the solo of "Taking Me Alive", in a different key, is a dead ringer for the end of the solo for "Dirty". Good catch!



Definitely the same lick as in Taking Me Alive.


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## BrailleDecibel (Mar 20, 2018)

Coryd said:


> Indeed! The first DND album was good...2nd was just meh.


Just out of curiosity...which 2nd album are you referring to? Because there ended up being two albums released from the sessions that were supposed to be Dark New Day's 2nd album, "New Tradition", and "Hail Mary". For what it's worth, I didn't find either release to be as good as the debut either, though some of the tracks were pretty damn close, like "Goodbye", "Fiend", or "Sunday".


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## duffbeer33 (Mar 21, 2018)

"Fiend" and"Goodbye" were great tracks. There were actually three different versions of "Fiend" floating around, and the first one they released was the best of the three, IMO. The one that made the album was a little watered down. I cannot find V1 anywhere though. Will Hunt screamed during the chorus and the tempo was a little slower.


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## BrailleDecibel (Mar 21, 2018)

As far as I know, this is the first version, and I agree, it is the best one of the three.


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## Hellbound (Apr 5, 2018)

Another new track from the upcoming album...song is called "Not Original"...sounds awful and trying to listen to this whole song is like Chinese water torture...but that may just be my opinion...but my opinions are always facts.


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## BrailleDecibel (Apr 6, 2018)

Bad news...it's the new single. And the video is pretty much the same as "Dirty", for some reason. But yeah, I just can't get into this song at all...a rare miss for the 'Dust.


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## Coryd (Apr 7, 2018)

BrailleDecibel said:


> Bad news...it's the new single. And the video is pretty much the same as "Dirty", for some reason. But yeah, I just can't get into this song at all...a rare miss for the 'Dust.




Yeah...I can't get into it either.


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## duffbeer33 (Apr 7, 2018)

I need to give it a few more listens before I can really decide what I think, but it didn't really jump out to me the first few listens. Interesting choice for a single, for sure. Sounds pretty radio ready. 

It definitely sounds like a Clint song musically. Gotta say LJ's voice sounds just as strong as ever though. And I agree that it is pretty strange they did the same exact video as Dirty.


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## GH0STrider (Apr 11, 2018)

Seasons is easily my favorite. I feel like they lost a lot when Clint left. I put all those albums in the bottom.


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## chewpac (Apr 14, 2018)

BrailleDecibel said:


> Bad news...it's the new single. And the video is pretty much the same as "Dirty", for some reason. But yeah, I just can't get into this song at all...a rare miss for the 'Dust.




i like it. my fanboi must be showing in this thread. jeez.


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## Addie5150 (Apr 15, 2018)

Kill the flaw was a very strong album, great tracks except for 2 , Letters and the one after it.
The second single of the new one's pretty meh.
Hope rest of the album's good


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## Hellbound (Apr 27, 2018)

New single out "Medicated"...definitely better than "not Original" but I am still not feeling this song as well...it is just way too boring:


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## duffbeer33 (May 1, 2018)

@Hellbound Agreed. Strange batch of songs released so far. We'll see how the rest of the album plays out soon enough.


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## neurosis (May 2, 2018)

I'll give you my humble opinion as a teenager growing up in Spain. I used to save up all the money I could and go hang out at this small record shop in the city center before starting the weekends. The owner would chat with me about what I liked and introduce me to stuff I'd often end up buying. I had no easy access to the web back then so other than this hanging out with this kid who had IRC there weren't too many options of checking out new bands. 

In one of these random record store excursions I got the S/T and was immediately in love. I'd rank the top 3 starting with Animosity as their best, Home as a close second and then S/T. The three first albums in reverse order of appearance are my favorite just because of the momentum and anticipation they built with every release. Then came seasons and I really liked it but I thought it was missing the polish of Animosity and lacking some of the heavier edge and tonal exploration I liked so much on that album. 

In my opinion the best records are the most balanced. These guys can write really catchy tunes–which is a skill to be reckoned in and of itself–, have at least two members who can "really" sing, original sense for arrangements as shown every time they had freedom (financially or else) to explore... they have a sound and are immediately recognizable. Yes, most albums after felt bloated to me but I was also growing fonder of the Gothenburg scene and my taste was developing away from them. You know how it is, you grow up and go through phases. I was closed to the experience. I didn't give the albums a chance past the singles I'd catch in news articles, promos, etc. Those songs were always trademark 7D: Memorable chorus in-between some cool melody build up and chug chug. 

To be honest the band hasn't felt too different to me for a long time but somehow this new record sounds more promising. Unlike some of you I absolutely love Not Original. If they can make this sound this clean live it will be a definitive sing along. On the recording it has the bounce and quirky tone I want to hear from them and the build up to the chorus and the chorus (even if they end up repeating it too much) are really nice. Is it a guitar hit? Probably not but it sits perfectly as a heavy pop song to me. The other two songs are great, too. I hope they get the push they deserve. They work hard and I have literally never heard a bad thing about them. For a band touring this long that should be an indicator of their professionalism and perhaps kindness.

I have many theories of why they didn't explode. In a way the last days of MTV pigeonholing them with Angel Song might have played a part. Their label panicking with a change of scene and wrestling them on some decisions may have had something to do with that in the early days, too. Personal problems of some of the members... Whatever it is they have sustained a career and a brand for so long now I think they'll be fine. Just hope they can expand the fanbase and hopefully get some radio play to reach a wider audience. I really wanted to see them on tour but looked at the venues and am not sure where I'll have to travel. I never saw them while I was in Europe and they weren't on my radar for a while but it'd be cool to see them live.

Pfff went a bit off track there.


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## duffbeer33 (May 3, 2018)

@neurosis Really great opinions there. Much of what you said feels spot on to me, thanks for sharing.


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## Triple-J (May 3, 2018)

The reason Sevendust never went big is because of their original record label TVT.....

TVT only cared about the American market so 7D and other bands on the label at that time such as Vision of Disorder & Nothingface never got to release their albums officially in UK/Europe so they were only available as expensive imports or released waaaay after the American release (with little or no promotion) via a licence deal with a label that had UK/Euro distribution such as Roadrunner.
The UK/Euro release situation meant that TVT never had a reason to care about putting 7D or any of their acts on tour in UK/Europe either so apart from the odd festival date or a UK tour that consisted of a single date in London 7D have toured the UK only once in their entire career and that was as support for Godsmack! (as an OG fan I'm pretty bitter about this) 

Sevendust were on TVT for ten years releasing five albums through them but when they finally got off the label in 2004 Metalcore was on the rise Nu-metal was on the way out and so was their chance to hit the big time, TVT may have mismanaged the band in America but in the UK/Europe they snuffed their career out before it began and as a result they're pretty much unknown and remain a cult band over here.


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## neurosis (May 6, 2018)

Triple-J said:


> in the UK/Europe they snuffed their career out before it began and as a result they're pretty much unknown and remain a cult band over here.



I think you nailed it. All the records I bought up to Seasons were Import. I remember I had to order the DVD because they wouldn’t stock it. You could buy Hit Parader, Revolver etc at the international section of the press kiosks in the center and see this band featured but Kerrang and Metal Hammer Europe didn’t feature them. I waited up all night to get their section at Woodstock playing Grasshopper recorded from Satellite. I think it was on ViVa or German MTV. While you could find an equivalent contemporary band like Coal Chamber in the common larger music shops like Fnac these guys were nowhere to be found. It really is a pity because everyone from that era got a break in Europe. Countless bands: Ill Nino, Taproot, Glassjaw, Chimaira... Not sure how that went for them but at least they had some opportunity for visibility. 

I think some of us knew where Sevendust fit because of the featured artists on their records, the thank you mentions in the credits of those records, paying attention to what they were up to in the US, etc... I feel this band wasn’t pushed the way it should have been. They had the personality, the talent and time has shown they are tenacious and hard working. Hope this new phase turns out well and let’s them expand a bit more. The market is different now... I feel it’s harder to cross the pond now. But maybe with smart social they can engage or maybe get on a tour with a similar band that’s had a higher profile overseas. 

Anyway, looking forward to this album. So far I’m really enjoying the songs. Actually listening to them I wonder how it would play out if they started putting out singles and EPs more frequently rather than Albums. They have so many hits among the later filler in their career. 

Wish them luck.


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## RevDrucifer (May 6, 2018)

I saw them last weekend for the 6th or 7th time at Fort Rock. Fort Lauderdale's first BIG show in *years*. We have no rock radio, so most national acts don't bother with us. If we're lucky, we'll get an Orlando show, really lucky is a West Palm Beach show and unheard of is Ft. Lauderdale. Devin Townsend and Trivium are the two biggest acts to come through in the last year.

Anyway, Sevendust played the 2nd day of a 2-day festival. It was really interesting seeing the bands on Saturday trying to get the audience to move, but it's been so long since we've had a festival of that size or even an audience attendance of that size, I think a majority of the crowd didn't know how to react. Teenagers who never even witnessed a show of that size, ya know?

Anyway, I was pre-gamin' and walked in about 20 minutes before Sevendust. Five Finger Death Punch and Godsmack closed the show the night before....there was some pits and a little crowd surfing, but even Sully said, "Come on, guys, this doesn't feel like a concert. Get your girls on your shoulders, move around, raise your lighters or cell phones, do something!" and he was 100% right.....until Sevendust played. The second they hit that stage, the crowd opened the fuck up. Sevendust has ALWAYS played Ft. Lauderdale at our little 500 seater club down here. They'll play before and after a Shiprocked cruise and pack the place each show. The crowd gave them all the thanks for that when they hit the stage.

Amazing set as usual. Got to see Ozzy for the first time that night and after hearing a weekend full of shitheads lipsyncing to tape (Bullet For My Valentine...I had to walk away because I was talking so much shit while their strung out singer didn't even TRY to make it look like he was singing) it was amazing to see 70 year old Ozzy come out and really sing the set. No where close to perfect performance but it didn't matter, he was REALLY fucking doing it. While jumping up and down and doing the Ozzy thing.


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## jwade (May 19, 2018)

Dudes, medicated is amazing. The combination of that many amazing vocalists all delivering incredible performances, goddamn.


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## Addie5150 (May 20, 2018)

Overall the new album is strong.
Moments and Cheers are loop


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## ChrisRushing (May 23, 2018)

I love the first three. Missed a bunch of stuff later on but I really enjoyed Cold Day Memory. It's admittedly the only later album i've heard though.


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## Quiet Coil (May 24, 2018)

Finally managed to pick up “War”. Seems like they’ve finally made the transition from “riff and hook” to “songwriting as a whole” that so many bands from the 90’s seem to strive for anymore. Lyrics hit me hard, and the music has just the right amount of polish (maybe a tad too much compression, but man that bass hits hard!).

I will say that if you told them ~10+ years ago they would put out an album like this they’d probably tell you to f-off.


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## duffbeer33 (May 26, 2018)

I've given the new album several weeks of listening so I could write a well founded review. My overall takeaway is that this album is very strong, and I believe it is their 3rd best record, slightly beating _Black out the Sun_ for their best work since Clint rejoined the band in 2008. 

"Dirty" is one of the better lead singles they've had in a number of years, and while it isn't groundbreaking, it fits nicely into their catalogue. "God Bites His Tongue" might be my favorite song on the album, with some massive guitar riffs in a variant of drop G tuning. The harmonies in the chorus with Clint/LJ are great. "Medicated" is a solid offering lyrically, while "Unforgiven" has a nice contrast of heavy/melodic parts -- containing what I think is the best breakdown section on the entire record. "Cheers" is a highlight with some nice chunky riffing (similar to "Not Today" off the last record) and a strong chorus. "Risen" is likely to get longtime 7D fans fired up with a blazing riff that feels like a throwback to "Rumble Fish." "Moments" might be the best song on the record from a songwriting perspective, even though it has a poppy sound to it. The elements of piano, clever riff passages by Clint Lowery, and a fantastic guitar solo make me think this could be successful single. "Life Deceives You" is very raw and conveys a lot of emotion -- definitely one that will stick with you. "The Truth" continues 7D's tradition of ending albums with a heavy banger (they've done this on every record since _Alpha_). 

One thing that bothered me was the weak guitar solos on "Sickness" and "Risen", they just sound too basic to me, knowing full well what Clint Lowery is capable of playing on the guitar. I'm guessing John wrote those solos because they sound a lot like guitar work from Chapter VII, very basic wah wah stuff. They feel like such a stark contrast to killer solos like the one on "Moments." 

John Connolly's Vocal performance on the record is a noticeable contribution, particularly on songs like "Truth." There isn't much more to say on Morgan Rose that hasn't already been said -- he's always on point and one of the best drummers in the business, period. Finally, the fact that Lajon is singing with this amount of power at age 45 is impressive. It doesn't look like this will be their last record, and that's great news. 7D has always had something more than generic hard rock bands like FFDP, Disturbed, and Shinedown, etc. Glad to see them still going strong.


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## Quiet Coil (Jun 28, 2020)

So they’ve got a new album in the bag, but release is on hold until they can tour. In the meantime, they put out a single last week that no one saw coming:


This is going to get a ton of hate - which I completely understand - Sevendust isn’t exactly “nuanced” (whereas Soundgarden was very much so). That said, it took me a few listens but I actually really like it.

I love Soundgarden, and from all of their statements about this release so do they. After several spins it becomes apparent that they wanted to be reverential to the original while still managing to put their own stamp on it. It’s not perfect, but the tweaks and little details (and of course LJ) are what make it.


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## mastapimp (Jun 29, 2020)

Noisy Humbucker said:


> So they’ve got a new album in the bag, but release is on hold until they can tour. In the meantime, they put out a single last week that no one saw coming:
> 
> 
> This is going to get a ton of hate - which I completely understand - Sevendust isn’t exactly “nuanced” (whereas Soundgarden was very much so). That said, it took me a few listens but I actually really like it.
> ...




Yeah, i posted this in the new music thread last week and have really enjoyed it. I've been a Sevendust fan since i saw them at Ozzfest '98 and they actually did a decent cover of "Sweet Home Alabama" at the time. I hadn't heard about a new album from them, and I'm guessing Morgan is back in good health, which is also great news.


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