SEASONS
It isn't often that most of us agree on the quality of a release, but this new SEVENDUST disc, hands down, is one of THE strongest albums any of us has heard. If this one doesn't put these guys on the map (especially considering the popularity of so many of the acts these guys have influenced), then this business is more kooky than I thought.
-SC
Some of you may remember the praise that I had for this band over the years. From the first time I heard the band CRAWLSPACE, (who would later rename themselves SEVENDUST), I was hooked! Looking back to the last record, I must say that I still play the crap out of
Animosity. I also figured that they'd have the impossible task of topping that record.
Now it is 2003 and we see the Atlanta band back and doing the impossible. They brought the recording of the record back home for one. You can also hear how much deeper (read the lyrics!) and the more feel it has not to mention the heavy parts that rule! You will also note that the effects they used for dressing are now pretty much nonexistent.
"Disease" opens the record to make you jump around. That's one killer song. "Enemy" is one that some of you may have heard through the WWE? Nonetheless it is a second kick ass song here. "Season" comes in super melodic. It starts more stripped down and then hits the colossal wall of sound. You'll be amazed that the more mellow songs pack such power, it’s awesome.
"Broken Down" was a track that threw a curve. It sorta had some Goth sounds like Paradise Lost mixed down in it with the Sevendust groove. "Separate" will be on the Headbangersball MTV2 double CD and it too is a great track. That has awesome feeling. "Honesty" starts all sweet and then get ready for the riffs that cut deep. You then are hit with those great melody lines. I now must take a moment to bow to these great song writers.
"Skeleton Song" brings home the more acoustic side of the band. They do blend that all up with the wall of sound piano, sonic’s and cool vocal tradeoffs. “Disgrace" supplied some great percussion. It is another one that builds up and breaks into melodic ecstasy, Oh what a feel! "Burned Out" cranks it up a bit more and is more straight heavy groove that still makes you jump up this late in the record.
"Suffocate" has the more intense riffs flying again. The more pissed or aggravated side is showing again. That track also just builds into this great powerful melodic power source. "Gone" is another that really blends more of the sonic heavy and acoustics. "Face To Face" closes it with more urgency and you are just left floored after that. They did it! They topped one great record that they made previous to this one. These guys keep that whole special sound, feeling and power and just made it blossom more.
The other thing that may have helped was the reunion with producer Butch Walker. He to had a part in this record coming out the way it did. Nobody sounds like this, nobody! The CD came with a DVD that has nearly forty minutes of videos from the studio, live, acoustic, interviews and the making of Seasons. This is a great companion to this excellent record.
