Album Review by Mark Bayross
Nu-metal may have gone to the big-shorted gig in the sky – despite the best efforts of Korn et al – but Sevendust always occupied a place on the fringes of the genre, and they have not gone anywhere.
NEXT is their fifth album and sees them return to the heavy territory of their earlier releases. Thunderous riffs, tons of melody and Lajon Witherspoon’s belter of a voice all make for a dynamic, powerful record. The pro-tooled heaviness of recent single UGLY is a case in point.
There is something of an MTV sheen, especially on inevitable ballad THIS LIFE, and the album veers into a more Linkin Park sound as it progresses. But for the most part, the hints of electronics add a sense of atmosphere before the guitars kick in (courtesy of new addition and ex-Snot and Amen guitarist Sonny Mayo), and Witherspoon’s soulful croon can’t fail to impress.
Not really a progression in sound, but it’s a solid album, impressive in places and well worth a listen if you like your metal melodic.
