Sevendust: Cold Day Memory
In their decade and a half career, Sevendust have scored 19 tracks in the top 50 of Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. With the exception of their self-titled debut album, all of their albums have peaked in the top 30 of the Billboard 200. That includes their eighth studio album, Cold Day Memory. The album debuted at number 12, the band’s highest charting position ever.
While not generally a metal guy myself, even I can appreciate the technical aspects that have made Sevendust a modern rock mainstay. From the opening track of Cold Day Memory, the band is clearly on a mission. The album opens with “Splinter”. The searing guitar riff sounds like something that would impossible to play on Guitar Hero, like that DragonForce song at the end of Legends of Rock. Then the real heavy stuff comes in. The drums are expertly mastered with every kick drum seemingly shaking your headphones, the bass’ low tones help in that respect as well. Then, Lajon Witherspoon’s vocals come in. His familiar patented vocal delivery is on full display with its aggression yet ability to keep melody. “Splinter” sets the tone for the entire album.
The album’s lead single “Unraveling” shows a slightly different approach than the album’s opener. The track is not quite as hard hitting but contains many more of the staples of modern rock. The guitars during the verses tone down the distortion and instead opt for light arpeggios. Witherspoon sings his vocals delicately rather than his normal aggressive roar. The result is a track that reminds me more of hard rock staples like 3 Doors Down than the type of metal Sevendust usually produces.
Luckily the band does not do too much of the light stuff, something that plagued their 2008 release Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow. Cold Day Memory really returns the band to the type of music I feel their fans crave: in-your-face alternative metal.
Rating: 7.2/10
MP3: Sevendust “Splinter”
Buy: iTunes or Insound!
Sevendust: Cold Day Memory
