ALBUM REVIEW: One – Sevendust
It is always fascinating to think about what bands consider writing after a few project releases. Some musicians like to play it safe, whilst others try to go all out and try something more unique and innovative. With 14, to become 15 album releases, with their brand-new upcoming album, and a quarter of a century as a band, SEVENDUST are clearly still aiming to innovate the sound of traditional hard rock and turn the genre into something people will have never heard before. On One, this works as the riffs are incredibly brutal, there are both clean and harsh vocals, and there are experimental, electronic synths sounds that when combining all three together, they all make for an epic listen, and a record that proves that this five-piece are still going as strong as ever before.
One kicks off with the title track. A song that starts off with a riff that is both rhythmically heavy as it is haunting before the first verse begins. The vocals courtesy of Lajon Witherspoon are an instant highlight, and this could not be more obvious with how he plays around with the vocal melodies, as the chorus is more atmospheric and softer as opposed to the grit in the verses. Something that is a sign of a great hook is how it connects to the rest of the song, and in this case, this opening song works perfectly. After the second chorus, there is a rare guitar solo for this album, but nonetheless, a very welcome surprise. This ultimately leads into the final chorus before the main riff hits to end the song.
The second track is Unbreakable and wastes no time as soon as it begins. Going straight into the chorus before the first verse begins and speeds the song up. The second verse is slightly different melody wise, but is a better fit to transition into the chorus, which is oozing of passion, both vocally and musically, with the lead guitar playing a backing melody which suits the sung melody flawlessly.
Threshold is a true highlight as it is both musically slightly more progressive, and still packs a brutal punch. The first verse starts off deceivingly mellow, before the drum fill to signify that this is still just as loud as everything that came before arrives. The chorus that follows is irresistible, just a simple melody sung to perfection. Before each chorus, a small section of ruthless instrumental progressive metal is played, adding a layer of unfamiliarity to the album. The solo section here is a form of a breakdown, which has another drum fill that segues into the final hook to finish wrap the track up.
We Won is the song that follows, and marks the halfway point of One. It starts off with a hip-hop vibe before the main riff kicks in, with the drums backing it up. The atmosphere the verses emit here is unlike anything on this album, and this ambience reaches a peak in the chorus. The hook is incredibly cinematic, due to the eerie, bizzare sounding experimental vocal melody which is thoroughly enjoyable, and could be played on repeat over and over again for a while without it getting boring. After the chorus, the main riff returns which leads into the second verse. The second guitar solo of the record is on this track, and has the repetition of the song title sung into the background, further cementing this as one of the more fascinating songs on this entire album, and perhaps in the SEVENDUST discography. After the solo, the chorus returns one final time, and the song title is repeated a few more times alongside a breakdown to finish.
Bright Side, has a unique sound to it throughout. The main riff is strange yet effective, and the vocals in the verse follow suit with a unexpected, original melody. The chorus is stripped back in pace, but not in volume, and that is why it is so effective. The second verse proves why this track is so impressive, the changes of rhythm and the melodies should not work, but SEVENDUST miraculously make this all work, and the result is yet another standout song, especially with the big ending at the very end.
The album closes with what is perhaps the most unexpected way. Misdirection lives up to its title. At first, the first half of the first verse is a slow piano ballad, before the guitars kick in alongside some drum kit rim hits, but after the verse, the riff extravaganza truly kicks off. The bridge which leads into the chorus is backed with the full wall of sound this band is constantly providing. The chorus is just as explosive as the bridge is, yet the piano melody returns briefly afterwards. This leads into another guitar solo which is clearly based off the vocal melodies in the chorus, just in another key. This ultimately leads into the final chorus, but this time, as it gets repeated, drummer Morgan Rose improvises and shows off his prowess by adding some double bass, and tom fills throughout, getting the listener to imagine themselves at a gig.
Overall, One is a classic SEVENDUST record, proving that they are still more than capable of providing monstrous riffs and choruses. This album though, also includes more experimental factors such as synths, and more progressive, weird time signatures scattered throughout, and at times this really elevates some of the songs here, whilst at times, this does not really add anything to the sound or vibe of the tracks.
With that being said, the five-piece is legendary, and it says a whole lot on how creative a band or artist is. Especially when they start experimenting. SEVENDUST do not need to try this, they are still one of the more popular and relevant hard rock groups of our generation, but clearly they believe that now is the time to start experimenting, and if this is the case, the future is about to get much brighter for one of the brightest, and most exciting rock bands over the past 25 years.
Rating: 8/10
One is set for release on May 1st via Napalm Records.
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