Customer Reviews

Animosity

5 star:		(114)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Even though it seems to be a rather unpopular opinion, it is mine that Sevendust's third album, 2001's "Animosity," is the one that truly captures and defines the group. While it's predecessors, the self-titled debut and it's follow-up, "Home," seemed a bit conflicted and their fourth effort, "Seasons," marked a more stream-lined approach, this is the one album that really brings all the elements of Sevendust to the table: Introspective and mature song writing, beefy guitar riffs, and soothing melodies coupled with abrasive yelling. Depsite the fact that they pull off this sound better than just about everyone else out there, they still haven't gotten the recognition they deserve. When they made their debut, the nu-metal scene was slowly on the rise. When "Home" came around, every band that had crunchy guitars was a success. And, even though bands like Staind and Incubus were breaking through in 2001 with honest, straight-forward rock music, Sevendust still couldn't catch a break. Which is a shame, as "Animosity" stands as one of the most memorable releases of that year.

To me, "Animosity," sounds more complete than previous works. Before this album, I couldn't quite understand Sevendust. Don't get me wrong, I love their old stuff, but a lot of it just sounded so disjointed. Here, the group seem more focused than ever, and in turn, all thirteen tracks are winners. No filler, whatsoever. The album starts off in traditional Sevendust fashion with the fierce "T.O.A.B." and the equally energetic "Praise." From there, however, the focus seems to be more on song-writing than on sonic bombast. "Trust" is probably the ideal single, even though it was never chosen. It is just one of those songs that you will instantly click into and is a huge representation of Sevendust's maturity. Likewise, the emotionally draining "X-Mas Day," penned entirely by band guitarist Clint Lowery, will grasp your attention. The song was written about domestic abuse and the childhood experiences of Clint and his brother Corey (whom Clint later left Sevendust to be with in Dark New Day). Other standouts include "Live Again," with it's strong, positive message, "Follow," which marks a collaboration with Staind frontman Aaron Lewis, and a reworking of "Angel's Son," complete with string section. Now, I'm not quite sure why they decided to re-record this song, (which previously appeared on the Lynn Strait (Snot) tribute album, "Strait Up"), but it sounds just as good, if not, better here.

Overall, I have to say, it's a perfect album. It's got it's loud moments, but it also has the reflective, personal moments too. Perfect balance of all things Sevendust. Plus, the production by Ben Grosse (who also did Filter's "Title Of Record") is the best the band have been subjected to. The sound of this album is much more crisp and cleaner, which is a major contribution to why I feel this to be Sevendust's shining album. I highly recommend this album. Just give it a chance, and don't judge it by everything else you hear on the radio. Sevendust stand in a league of their own. They work hard, and the effort they put in really shows, especially on this album.

Let's face it folks, the numetal genre doesn't have much to offer. However, Sevendust is a band I've always enjoyed. I bought their previous album "Home" a couple of years ago. It was good at first, but after a while, I kind of got tired of it due to its simplicity and repetition. So, I was a bit hesitant to buy this. However, I just decided to go ahead and give it a chance, and I'm very glad I did.

This album is a giant step up from anything the band has done before. It has much more melody, and much more variation. In this one album, Lajon has increased my appreciation for his vocal abilities by leaps and bounds. He is simply an amazing vocalist, possibly the best in rock (second behind Iced Earth's Matt Barlow). He just sings his heart out here, and thankfully Morgan's annoying backup vocals are cut to a minimum.

Best songs would have to be "Praise", "Trust", "Live Again", and "X-mas Day", but almost every song on here is great. The first song, "T!ts on a Boar", isn't too great, but from there this album hardly misses a step. "Follow" features guest vocals from Staind frontman Aaron Lewis. He does a great job, but even he is dwarfed by Lajon's mighty pipes. He does manage to get in a nice "vomit scream" though (Staind fans know what I'm talking about). I like the new version of "Angel's Son" better than the first one, I think the guitarwork is much better. However, I'd say the guitar playing is this album's main downfall. John and Clint may have slightly more skill than the average numetal guitarists, but the majority of the guitarwork is nothing but a blur of distortion. With better riffs, this could have been a really amazing album, but even as it is, it's quite good. Also, the drumming is too restrained. Morgan is obviously a great drummer, but he needs to just go nuts every once in a while. He only does like 3 fills in this whole album, and they're quite good, so he should do it more. Oh well. It's numetal, so whaddya gonna do?

This album exceeded my expectations by far. I like it, but I'm not really sure who to recommend it to. I guess just open-minded people. If you consider yourself an open-minded music fan, you should buy this. It's possible that numetallers might not consider this heavy enough, because of all the melody, but well, you guys don't know what "heavy" is anyway. I think numetal is better with melody, because when they try to rock, it's just pathetic. System of a Down is the only numetal band that can rock out with any success. Anyway, this is a really good album. If you like this, I also recommend a similar but lesser known band called Nonpoint.

After i heard all 4 albums, i concluded this to be my favorite one. Simply because of how "colorful" the album is. This album while exploring lots of emotions, is still heavy, and still puts a beat in you! It also brings you to tears at some times with "X-Mas Day" and DEFENATLY with "Angel's Son"

T.O.A.B. -- This is a like a track from Home. A good opening track, but probably should have been put more toward the end. Ah well... Heavy as crap, so i cant complain - 4/5

Praise -- One of my favorite Sevendust songs EVER! It has an explosive beginning, a great chorus, and a positive attitude (which is really rare in NuMetal songs)! This ties for my favorite track on the CD with "Crucified" - 5/5

Trust -- Trust was one of the first Sevendust songs ever nailed in my head. Although im not really sure what the lyrics are about (which just makes it all the more better), this is a really good slow themed song -4/5

Crucified -- One of the friggin heaviest tracks on the album, Crucified always has me singing with it. Ironically, Lajon dosent scream through the whole track (although Morgan, and Clint do). This song brings alot of melodical heat! This ties for my favorite track on the CD with "Praise" - 5/5

X-Mas Day -- I always played this song when i ws upset about a girl, and even when im not this song almost brings me to tears. Its an awesome comibined acoustic/electric job, and this is the song that will make me miss Clint forever (he left Sevendust Dec.04) - 4/5

Dead Set -- Dont get me wrong, i like this song, but i think it needed more to it...Either that or be made shorter. This song has a great pre-chorus, and chorus though, which saves the rating! - 3.5/5

Shine -- This song is fast paced, and has good guitar jobs! The moldy of the song is pretty good, and once again has that melodic heaviness that Sevendust is so good at! - 4/5

Follow (feat. Aaron Lewis) -- Another slow paced song, but to me, Sevendust puts an illusion of a waterfall in my head the introduction! Lajon, and AARON both do a good job singing. The image this song creates in my mind is what makes it really great! - 4/5

Damaged -- This is obviously a song about a loved one commiting suicide! This song is fairly heavy, and has meaningful lyrics. As a matter of fact, i suggest if your thinking about self-harm that you listen to this song, before you put loved ones through that - 4/5

Live Again -- This is a good song, but im not too sure if it was the right choice for a single. This song like "Follow" isnt heavy at all, but has hard-rock traits, and very great singing in it. - 4/5

Beautiful -- This is the only song on the album i really dont care for. It basically has the same traits as "Live Again", but it isnt a horrible song, so i cant give it a horrible rating- 3/5

Redefine -- Defenatly one of my faves on the album, Redefine is crushingly heavy verses, with a catchy chorus! Perfect fighting kind of song - 4/5

Angels Son -- No matter what, i always cry when i listen to this song. This song was written dedicated to "Lynn Strait" of Snot, but i highly doubt thats all whom it applies to (since Sevendust has lost alot of freinds in the past few years). This song is sad, but positive becuase it gives the message of heaven. Also, this song is done acoustically, and with some orchestra in the backround. This song (isnt my favorite, but) is probably the greatest acheivement Sevendust has ever made - 5/5

I love this CD. Its one of the few CD's i can listen to all the way through! I suggest this CD to NuMetal, or even Classic Rock fans.

This is pretty clearly my favorite Sevendust album, and pretty much one of my all time favorites as it has such a lot of really strong songs on it. There is no real flow to the album as such, one song to the next is fairly different, but that's good, just don't expect a sort of journey thing.

For me it's something like what would have happened if Living Colour had made a follow up to Stain - doesn't sound like them but the style of very clear segments of music within songs, powerful riffs, and passionately performed lyrics is a fair way different to a lot of the other hard rock stuff in offering something a bit outside a conventional formula.

While it doesn't have the same sort of stand out rock tracks as 'Home' had , it's gone for a range of really really good songs - tracks 1-3 and 6-9 are particularly good: Dead Set, Damaged and Praise perhaps a little above the rest. The rest is good, but not as good (to my taste) except the last track which is a complete masterpiece, a slower but exceptionally passionate dedication to a dear freind of theirs who passed.

For me having those 8 tracks which are exceptional is enough for me to really love this record, it's certainly a creative record (although it could be said some of the tracks on Home went a little further) and it's got a nice sense of power and passion to it.

Musicians who take up residence inside their music, deeply and convincingly, remind us that heavy alternative is as much a quest for catharsis and emotional resolution as it is an outlet for loud belligerence and alpha-male behavior. Certainly, we realize that bands peddle rage (which is more sellable now than ever), but when theyre genuine, the transfusion between artist and audience is real again - more than art swaying to the tune of capitalism and creativity as profit.

Stuffed to capacity with clones, the alternative nation might do well to consider a reinvention, before becoming a tired wasteland of safe, bankable and increasingly boring male angst. This reviewer is moved when artists recreate themselves in their creations - uncompromised - in an honest transcription of feeling and creativity straight to medium. I think we can all agree that there need not be any more bands auto piloting through the creative process.

Thankfully, Sevendust avoids relying on safe clichés and formulaic contrivances. Headed by soulful vocalist Lajon Witherspoon, and backed by one of the most kinetic four pieces youll find anywhere, the band is evolving both as songwriters and musical pioneers. Throughout three progressively stronger and artistically honed LPs, Animosity, the bands latest release, finds Sevendust hitting its stride and defining its niche more sharply than ever.

Less muscular tracks like Xmas Day and Angels Son stay true to the bands balancing act of abrasive, speedy metal riffs with tunes that indulge more than the flow of adrenalin. But theyve upped the bar and tightened up their trademark sound: machine gun rhythms and heavy-artillery syncopation, just listen to hook-filled tracks like Shine, Damaged, and you'll know that the boys were re-tooling and improving since their last release. Those attracted to Sevendusts calculated rawness will be thrilled to encounter the bands broadened and inventive song structures, careful fine-tuning, and doubly pleased that this is easily the bands best album to date.

Adding a very melodic and vocally driven element to the music; the band has pulled off an interesting paradox becoming more accessible and more exploratory at the same time, wisely taking greater advantage of a lead singer with dynamic vocals and a knack for melding power with melody. Its nice to watch a band raise their standards -- watch Sevendust get better with time.

This is a good album. I normally listen to different types of music...when it comes to metal, however, i normally like death/black metal. This is actually very good though. The production is amazing thanks to Ben Grosse. You might have heard his production before on Filters last cd "Title of record". This is not the typical "nu-metal" affair, as it is incredibly in depth and has songs that are quite touching. The singer, Lajon Witherspoon deserves a mention as he must be the best singer in metal today. His vocals are amazing, soulful and thick. The songs rely on weird time signatures as well as awesome key changes. I'm listening to this cd for the third time right now, and i bought it this afternoon. Standouts include the ballad "xmas day", the melodic yet crushing "Trust". Great Cd...I didnt like sevendust much before this, but now im a loyal fan.

I just saw these guys last nite in Hampton Beach NH, they rocked. This had to be the best concert I have ever been to. Animostity is there best CD in my opinion. Seasins is good too. I didnt like the first two all the well, just a few songs on each. They played 2 new songs at there show for there upcoming cd which is finished they said. They have a new guitarist. He was really good. He had alot to fill in place of their old guitarist. There new songs are heavy!!!

Sevendust is jammin'. Open your mind to their music and get inspired. Melodic as can be heavy metal with a hip-hop and techno influences. Their singer is of color and his bandmates are white. That I find super cool. It only helps against prejudice and racism in music these days just because. Nu-metal with soul. Not so popular like Korn or System of a down; Sevendust has that on their side too. I love underrated kick ass bands!

I've followed Sevendust since their debut self-titled album was released; and unlike most bands that emphasize one sound, Sevendust have broken the mold and created a sound that is truly their own. The band has matured considerably over the course of 3 albums, and "Animosity" is truly their crowning achievement. Every song shows remarkable craftsmanship and soul, and Lajon's voice is finally brought to the front, and has never sounded better! The big plus here, is that Sevendust finally had to time to really create and craft this record, as opposed to the other 2, which are both good in their own respects, but were written and recorded in short amounts of time. Sevendust's ability to write great heavy songs like "T.O.A.B.", "Dead Set", and the smashing first single "Praise" shows that the band has not lost its edge over the years. However, the songs that showcase Lajon's voice and Sevendust's maturity can truly be heard on the excellent tracks "Xmas Day", "Follow" with Aaron Lewis of Staind, and the incredibly reworked version of "Angel's Son", a tribute to Snot frontman Lynn Strait. Sevendust has truly come into their own with this album. While getting a solid 5 stars, this album should finally push them to the forefront of the pack, as they are truly a step above the rest.

I never really liked Home sans a few songs on it, but their s/t debut album still takes a spin in my cd player some days. I've always wanted the band to try a softer, more melodic album and with Animosity (strange title for a relativly mellow album) they have done just that.

The album has it's heavier more traditional Sevendust songs like T.O.A.B and Praise, but songs like Follow, X-Mas Day (truly beautiful ballad), and the incredibly reworked Angel's Son which now includes strings are true spotlight grabbers. Lajon uses his range perfectly, detecting hints of R&B and even Gospel in his voice it's surprisingly fits the music incredibly well.

This is the album that will get them a lot of attention to the mainstream audience, kinda like Break The Cycle did for Staind. Not really a bad thing mind you because Sevendust truly deserves that.