Losing a guitarist and leaving a label are tough storms for a band to weather, but Sevendust managed to pull things off nicely when they released their 2005 album Next. Despite the changes in the band, they were able to stick to what they do best and release another collection of aggressive yet soulful metal tunes.

Following up 2003's Seasons, Next would be the band's first album not to appear on TVT Records. It would be their only release on Winedark Records as Sevendust would soon form their own label, 7Bros. The upheaval didn't do much to prevent the band from selling, as Next reached #20 on the U.S. charts, not bad for such hard rockers.

After the death of Snot frontman Lynn Strait, Sevendust wrote a song in his memory. "Angel's Son" from 2001's Animosity was a moving tribute, one of the band's most beautiful tracks. In 2005, Sevendust continued their tribute to Snot by hiring the disbanded outfit's guitarist Sonny Mayo to replace original Sevendust axeman Clint Lowery, who left to join Dark New Day in late 2004.

The guitarist switch fortunately didn't do much to altar the band's traditional sound. No need to fear any softening, as Mayo manages to crunch out meaty riffs in the true Sevendust style Lowery left behind. Next is unquestioningly metal thanks to ferocious tracks like "Hero" and "Pieces" that feature the band's unique vocal dynamic of Lajon Witherspoon's roars being backed by the more throat-shredding screams of drummer Morgan Rose. This style is most effective when they go back and forth on "The Last Song," a furious track that has the two singers spitting verbal venom at a "pathetic disgrace." This is probably the album's best track for when you're in need of venting some pure rage.

They do, however, mellow out for a couple tracks, as they did on the previous couple of albums. The heartfelt "This Life" is one of the album's happier-sounding numbers, expressing joy over a new child: "It's you that blessed us with this life / That we've waited for so long." The band does a good job of making this one positive and life-affirming without sounding cheesy. The album closes with the even more stripped down "Shadows in Red," which is quite stirring as Witherspoon softly conveys fears of loneliness: "I know I'm losing all the things closest to me."

As with most Sevendust albums, the strongest Next tracks are the ones that blend the fury with the melody. The best example of this is "See and Believe," which perfectly balances crushing riffs and a few screams with a catchy chorus packed with energy and power. "Ugly," "Failure," and "Silence" also use powerful vocals amidst heavy sounds, further proving Sevendust to be equal parts soul and aggression.

The upheaval they endured in 2005 might have been a bit much for some bands to take, but Sevendust, grizzled veterans that they are, showed that they were more than capable of weathering the storm. They channeled their frustrations into the studio, and the end result was one of their best albums yet. With its bone-crushing riffs, fits of vocal vitriol, and memorable choruses, Next is certainly worthy of its place in the Sevendust collection.


Also from Sevendust:

Sevendust
Home
Animosity
Seasons
Alpha



Recommended: Yes