“Wall of Death, Wall of Death!” is a popular chant that can be heard at almost any hard rock or metal show. If you’re passing by Friday at The Blue Note, you’ll probably hear that alongside thundering guitar riffs because Sevendust will be in town.
Sevendust is a hard rock band, formed in 1995, from Atlanta. Its sound is comparable to artists such as Earshot, Taproot and Dark New Day. One of the reasons Dark New Day might be similar is because the lead guitarist of Sevendust, Clint Lowery, is a former member of Dark New Day.
Lowery left Sevendust in 2004 to play alongside his brother, Corey. His departure was shortly after the release of Sevendust’s fourth studio album, Seasons, and the album’s supporting tour. The album was the band’s most successful at that point.
“It was healthy for me,” Lowery said. “It kept me from getting burnt out and allowed me to bring some positive energy back with me when I rejoined in 2008.”
The band released its seventh studio album, Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow and was reunited with Lowery for the subsequent tour.
“I really missed the guys,” Lowery said. “I learned a lot while I was gone. I took all of my good and my bad experiences back with me to Sevendust, and we’re better because of it.”
Lowery played a crucial role in the making of Cold Day Memory, the band’s highest-rated album to date. He was given no boundaries by the band and essentially told to do what he thought would sound best.
“I was gone for three records,” Lowery said. “They wanted to recapture the sound that I brought to Sevendust, so they just let me do my own thing. They wanted me to be able to retake my role in the band, and I feel I’ve done that.”
The best part of any show for a real hard rock fan is the ability to go out and knock around some of your fellow metal-heads and at the end of the day, leave the venue with bumps, severely sore necks and battle scars. Where else can you go, punch a guy to the floor, reach down and help him up, only to both bang your heads to the upcoming riff?
After having Lowery back for one full tour and by letting him get comfortable with Sevendust again, the upcoming show promises to be one of the band's best to date. The harmonizing vocals of lead singer Lajon Witherspoon and the superb screaming vocals of drummer Morgan Rose culminate to form the best duo of singer/screamer to be heard.
In retaining its members, the band hasn’t lost the love and respect of its fans — or its “family,” as the band prefers to address them. The group’s original sound has also been kept intact through its 15 years of existence.
“We started out with the intention to be as heavy as Pantera,” Lowery said. “I feel like we are as heavy as any of their records. Sure, our sound is going to be different because Lajon sings different than (Pantera lead singer) Phil (Anselmo), but that’s what we aimed for, and I think we succeeded.”
Do yourself a favor, Columbia, go see Sevendust rock the roof off The Blue Note and get some real heavy metal pumping through your veins this Homecoming weekend.
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