Here is a CD that is in your face, but melodic at the same time. Sevendust is a very talented band, and has really changed the way I look at heavy metal music. This band made me realize that a heavy band can do more than just have chugging guitar parts and a screaming vocalist. Although this CD is very heavy and is in your face, it is full of powerful vocals, amazing harmonies, very melodic guitar parts, and amazing production. A lot of people would think that a band that plays heavy music wouldn’t be able to accomplish this, but Sevendust definitely does.
This CD was the last CD wrote with guitarist, Clint Lowery, before he left the band, but recently returned to the group in the summer of 2008. Lowery is one of the main songwriters of the band, and he really knows how to put a song together. Every song on “Seasons” is very melodic, but is rockin. The chord progressions and notes that are chosen for the songs give each one its own melodic style. These are accompanied by the warm, deep, and powerful vocals of Lajon Witherspoon. This guys voice is very clean and gospel in nature, and really adds to the music. It takes the edge of some of the songs off and makes them very melodic. Lowery and Witherspoon’s harmonies are very strong, and are awesome to listen to. Both of them have such strong voices and the harmonies that they can create sound beautiful. These really add to the music.
The songs never really seem as heavy as they actually are because of how melodic the vocals are. If the music isn’t very heavy then it is very melodic too, but even when it is heavy it is very tonal and not dissonant like many heavy bands. Sevendust really grew with CD from their earlier releases. It showed what they were capable of, and how much they had to offer. The vocals on this CD are amazing. The harmonies are so strong. The layering of different vocal parts going on at the same time is very cool to hear, and is very hard to describe. In the song, “Honesty,” the band takes the vocal part from the breakdown in the middle of the song and then has Lowery singing this part while it is layered under the Witherspoon’s vocal line in the last chorus. It gives a very cool effect off, and very good production idea.
“Seasons” is a CD that is worth checking out. It might give you a different outlook on heavy rock music. It shows that heavy bands are able to create songs that are full of emotion, but are very melodic and understandable. If you are into hard rock music pays attention to process of songwriting, check Sevendust out.
Key Tracks: “Disease,” “Honesty,” “Skeleton Song,” “Burned Out,” “Suffocate,” and “Gone.”
