ALBUM REVIEW: All I See Is War – Sevendust

For nearly two and a half decades now, Atlanta alt-metal outfit SEVENDUST have been cranking out reliably strong hard rock albums that mix hard-hitting metal riffs with the sumptuous vocal stylings of powerhouse frontman Lajon Witherspoon to create a mix of that’s equally melodic and crushing. While their previous album, 2015’s Kill the Flaw saw a somewhat back-to-basics approach in terms of sonics that even managed to net them a Grammy nomination, now the five-piece are kicking things up another gear with their twelfth studio album, All I See Is War.

It’s that heavier, more groove-laden side of their sound that kicks things off, with lead single Dirty providing a hefty opening punch of anthemic guitars that give way to soaring vocals from the effervescent Witherspoon. It’s an approach that the band have always utilised to strong effect, but here it seems almost revitalised, thanks in part to the outstanding production job of Michael ‘Elvis’ Baskette (ALTER BRIDGE, TRIVIUM), whose own appreciation of the band from a fan perspective seems to have allowed him to bring out some of the very best in their sound. It’s rare for a record to have such a titanic start as the band seem to get off to here, but Dirty simply sounds like a hit in the making right from the first time you hear it.

Indeed, most of the moments on the heavy end of the SEVENDUST spectrum sound better on All I See Is War than it ever has before; be it the grandiose and uplifting Unforgiven, or the intermittently blistering and melodic punch of songs like Risen; the latter driven along at great pace by the powerhouse rhythm section of drummer Morgan Rose and bassist Vince Hornsby, and guitarists Clint Lowery and John Connolly.

It’s not all huge hard-rock anthems though, of course. There’s plenty to enjoy over in the less frantic areas of SEVENDUST‘s sound on this record too, as Witherspoon and the band balance things out well going into the latter half of the record with monster power-ballad Not Original proving one the highlights of the entire thing, with beautifully impassioned vocal delivery and a memorable chorus hook that doesn’t so much get into your head as it does firmly embed itself within the mind within seconds of first hearing it. Moments, meanwhile, manages to meld both the heavy and melodic tones by maintaining a simplistic yet haunting piano undertone upon which the band pile their usual riffing. Life Deceives You, meanwhile, adds a film-like string arrangement sound as a backing, imbuing the work of Witherspoon and co. with even more emotional weight as it trundles along.

Ending things on a heavy note is The Truth, which sees the band throwing their all at one final blast of thrashy anthemic goodness. A highly impressive closing salvo, the guitar work on display here is possibly some of the best to come from the band in a while – managing to sound heavy without becoming abrasive, and still maintaining a balanced enough profile within the mix as not to drown out anything as the ten-legged machine finally reaches its eventual climax.

Looking broadly, All I See Is War is far from a complete reinvention in terms of SEVENDUST‘s sound or anything of that ilk, but what it does manage to accomplish within its 46 minute runtime is showcase a very clear and defined refinement in what the band knew they were already capable of – producing huge-sounding US radio-rock anthems with almost across-the-board choruses that beg to be played to arena crowds.

Rating: 7/10

All I See Is War is available now via Rise Records.

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