Music CD - Sevendust: Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow

	Music CD: Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow Artist: Sevendust List Price: $18.98 Our Price: $12.86 Your Save: $ 6.12 ( 32% ) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer: Asylum Records
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Tracks: 1. Inside 2. Enough 3. Hope 4. Scapegoat 5. Fear 6. The Past 7. Prodigal Son 8. Lifeless 9. Sorrow 10. Contradiction 11. Walk Away
Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0075597994513 Format: Explicit Lyrics Label: Asylum Records Manufacturer: Asylum Records Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: Asylum Records Release Date: 2008-04-01 Studio: Asylum Records
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Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Frequency doesn't compromise supremecy Comment: With such a short space of time elapsing between the release of Sevendust's last album Alpha and the new offering Chapter VII, you'd be forgiven for approaching this release without any great expectation. You could attribute to loyal fans like myself not being able to build any great hunger or appetite so soon after gorging ourselves on the superb Alpha. I'm all too pleased to report that the new album really hits harder than Jo Dimaggio and leaves you begging for more. 'Inside' gradually rises the album from the ground like a hungover kodiak bear waking from slumber. The slow synthesised introduction subtely introduces the opening riff that is so senonymous with Sevendust. The aggitated riff and machine gun driven drums explode the album into life and you've gone from stationary to super sonic in a matter of seconds. The consistancy of the album is sublime and every track gives the impression that the band are trying to fashion a more artistic and sophisticated aura to their sound. Although this approach only adds to the layers of the already dynamic sound, it does take away the instant impact of some of the songs included here. The most impatient of fans would be stretching a digit to the right hand arrow of their remotes before they've sunk their teeth into the whole flavour of each song. Other notable features of this album are guest appearances from one man marketing dream Chris Daughtry on 'Fear.' Daughtry's voice is once again smoother than a cashmere codpiece and fuses perfectly with the more unique and tasty vocal of Lajon Wetherspoon. Monster vocal talent Miles Kennedy joins the bandwagon on 'Sorrow.' Although we're not spoiled with the full range of his haunting vocal range that is so prominant with Alter Bridge, his vocals dance with Lajon's effortlessly in this emotion soaked song. In summary, the album is a solid and slightly experiental offering from Sevendust. There is more variety to this album than has been previously served on previous album platters. The transition between songs is seemless and will satisfy the appetite of any expectant Sevendust fan. The only major disappointment that I would voice is the lifeless and meaningless cover design that would fail to inspire even the most indulgent art buff! With the imminent return of original guitarist Client Lowery in place of Sonny Mayo, one can only assume that white hot Sevendust melting pot with be stirred once again very soon for yet another helping. Customer Rating: Summary: More cohesive than singles-driven, still excellent Comment: I'm one of the rare Sevendust fans who doesn't buy the Cubs/White Sox-like dichotomy that you can only like Sonny Mayo's or Clint Lowery's guitarwork. This is Sonny's final album with Sevendust, and it is for the most part excellent. That said, too much attention goes to the Sonny/Clint thing. John Connolly is an excellent guitarist by any standard, and Vinnie Hornsby on bass is utterly insane in the best bassist kind of way. While Morgan Rose's powerful drumming and backing vocals and Lajon Witherspoon's sometimes-raging sometimes-gentle vocals often take center stage, John and Vinnie together form the solid sinews of each song, whether with Sonny, Clint or any of their guest instrumentalists. That kind of flexibility for a rhythm duo should not be passed up. To the album itself: "Chapter VII" is the most brooding and mood-changing album since "Animosity". It reflects the band's maturity and that they are consummate artists - something that may not be appreciated by fans who stopped listening after the viciously good "Home" or who didn't tune in until the mainstream-friendly but deliciously experimental "Seasons". Where "Alpha" was pure aggression (listening to the title song is like kickboxing on four shots of espresso), "Chapter VII" remains agitated but is consciously brooding and sometimes defiant. "Inside" is an awesome opening track (though I would have put "Enough" later in the album, since it shares the same energy and made me wonder whether they were two movements on the same theme). I can picture the lights slowly coming up as Morgan's drumming agitates further to the driving guitar crescendos, followed by Lajon's terse argument and his more melodic self-rebuttal as John, Vinnie and Sonny blend into a tempo change that at once foretells and anticipates the complex harmony at the core of the song. "Hope" is, ironically, the darkest song on the album, though Mark Tremonti's guitar work adds a stunning narrative that makes me wonder if the band will tap him if Lowery takes on another project. There's something in the pacing of "Scapegoat" that doesn't seem to mesh as well with other tracks; "Prodigal Son" is the opposite - strongly driven by Lajon's own vocal rhythm. "Lifeless" and "Walk Away" are both masterful and let each member of the band shine - blends of minor and power chords, alternatingly intense and soulful drumming, shifting bass lines that both lead and drive the melody, and Lajon's incredibly expressive range. In short, "Chapter VII" is an excellent album that, while not as singles-friendly as "Animosity" or "Next", holds together in a cohesion that good albums should and rare albums do. Customer Rating: Summary: Absolutely HORRIBLE! Comment: As a fan of Sevendust I have to say that this is by far the worst album to date. This does not have any of Clint Lowery's input on it. Although I think the band is phenomenal...the song writing is just awful. There's the one or two tracks that show signs of life but other than that the album is painful. The guest appearances are not note worthy. If you want a good Sevendust album go buy Animosity or Seasons. Customer Rating: Summary: # 7...dust...Another Treat... Comment: The seventh studio effort continues the hard rocking trek of Sevendust.From beginning to end...just straight in your face rock.Enough,Scapegoat,The Past,Prodigal Sun & Contradiction highlight this solid rock effort!!!Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge appear along with Chris Daughtry.Co-writing,etc..If you are a fan of Sevendust and have purchased most of their efforts,if not all,what are you waiting for.Go get this one...A solid 4.5 for in your face hard rock!!!!!Long live The Dust!!!! Customer Rating: Summary: Another good Sevendust album Comment: Right now this is one of my two favorite new cd's. The other being In Flames "A sense of Purpose."I'd say with a little more time this album could have been that much better, but like all Sevendust albums it's still quite good. They throw in quite a bit of variety which I love. There are also more guitar solos than any other Sevendust album, as far as I remember. On a scale of of 1-10 I'd give this a solid 7 maybe 8. I'm enjoying this one more and more every time I hear it. Inside - this one has an intro that goes on a little too long for my taste, but when the song gets going it's one of my favorites on the album. It's a kind of alpha-esque song with a solid riff and good drum beat. Probably the heaviest song on the album. I wish they had expanded on the bridge a little and maybe put an instrumental break, but still it's a great song. 9/10 Enough - This one's a decent enough rocker. I don't have a whole lot to say about it except that it's an enjoyable song. 7/10 Hope - This is probably my favorite song, either this or inside. Musically I think it's the most diverse on the album. I like the main riff and the solo. The stringed instruments during the solo were cool as well. 10/10 Scapegoat - This one has kind of quieter verses with some electronics and a heavy very catchy chorus. Some of the lyrics in this one for me are a bit... but I'm a sucker for a catchy chorus and it is still a good song. 8/10 Fear - Another good song. This one like Enough I don't have a whole lot to talk about. It's kind of a mid-tempo rocker with some cool musical pieces thrown in 7/10 The Past - My least favorite song on the album, not because of the writting. The song is well written. It's an acoustic song. I just can't get into Daughtry's voice. It reminds me too much of the guy from Shinedown. Still it's not a bad song and right now I'm not minding hearing it. 6/10 Prodigal Son - A mid-tempo rocker that I really like. There's just something about the vocals in this one that I really like. Something about them just sound different from what Lajon has done in the past, but I can't put my finger on it. There's also a short, but decent solo. 8/10 Lifeless - This one's a little faster than a mid-tempos song. It's a rocker with a quieter chorus. There's also another decent guitar solo. I hope they keep using solos from now on. 8/10 Sorrow - This one's another slower one with the lead singer from Alter Bridge. Yesterday at work I had this one going through my head. I like the main riff. They use a cool effect, I think it's either a chorus or flange, but it's been a long time since I've played with guitar effects so I can't remember. Kennedy's voice sounds different than I remember on any Alter bridge album. I hope for their next one he uses this style for a song or two. 8/10 Contradiction - This is another of my favorites. This is another rocker. I like the chorus it's kind of different from a typical Sevendust chorus. 9/10 Walk Away - This is another solid track and a good album closer. There's more screaming in this one than any other song except maybe for Inside. 9/10 I'd review the bonus tracks as well, but I don't feel like it. I'll just say that they're pretty solid as well. You've got Lucky One and Disgust which are heavier and Heart in your hands which is slower. Still they're enjoyable. This may not be my favorite Sevendust Album, but it's certainly not a bad one. I think most Sevendust fans will find this one a good addition to their collection. More Reviews
Editorial Reviews: Sevendust are back with their seventh studio album, Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow, produced by Sean Groove, Morgan Rose & John Connolly. The release will be their second on the band's wholly owned record label, 7Bros. Records under Warner Music Group's Asylum/Independent Label Group. For the first time since Animosity (2001), the band has collaborated with outside artists, including Chris Daughtry and members of Alterbridge. First single, "Prodigal Son", will be impacting Active and Mainstream Rock radio on February 10th, with a video soon to follow. Sevendust will be touring in support of the album throughout the year. The March 2007 release of Alpha, the bands sixth studio album and first on 7Bros. Records, saw Sevendust equal their highest Billboard album ranking of their career with a first week debut at #14 on the Billboard Top 200, selling 42,398 copies. With even more radio hits packed into the new album, Sevendust looks forward to continuing to raise the bar.