Customer Reviews

Vena Sera (Sba1)

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(44)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Wow, many of the reviews here have been harsh. Have you listened to the radio lately? There's a lot of crap out there and very few hard rock acts are breaking the top twenty in sales. So we should appreciate Chevelle for being an accessible yet hard-rocking, successful band.

I love the last two albums (especially WWN) and Vena Sera compares favorably. First of all, even though there are some melodic songs here, this cd rocks HARD. Not a ballad to be found and plenty of the crunching riffs that we all love from Chevelle. Yet I don't believe it's just "more of the same." They might be baby steps but the band does branch out a bit without sacrificing its trademark sound. Let's face it, if they lost the chunky guitar, it wouldn't be the same and we wouldn't like the band. I think this album delivers the best of both worlds.

If you like music that ROCKS and/or like Chevelle, this cd is a no-brainer. Get it now and get going. BTW, I just saw the band live for the first time last night and it was an incredible show. It's a lot of sound for three guys and they pull off every song. I also got to chat a bit with Sam (drummer) after the show and he is the nicest, most normal rock dude you've ever met. If you get a chance, don't miss the band in concert.

Embrace the best in hard rock music. Appreciate and enjoy one of the few great rock bands - and rock albums - in these very lean times!

I disagree whole heartedly with the spotlight reviews. Chevelle has done something most bands do not...stuck with a sound that their fans recognize, love, and listen to Chevelle for. This album is what I deem fantastic and satisfying, and should be, by no means, looked over by anyone who is looking for terrific rock and roll. In fact, I would bet that whoever it was who wrote these 'spotlight' reviews chose little time to actually listen to the album.

Let me give you the run down as to why this is an incredible rock album.

1. The band has mastered the art of playing together. Each track is fast, tight, and smooth.

2. You most likely listen to Chevelle for their sound. I do. Therefore, I would not want them to pull what bands like Pearl Jam did and become "progressive". All this has done is taken a fantastic rock band and turned them into something I don't particularly like to listen to.

3. This album MUST be listened to more than twice. I agree that at first listen, the whole album sounds vaguely similar. Fine...you got me there. But have you actually LISTENED to the album. Listen to it one more time...but this time closely. The riffs, drums, vocals, and lyrics are amazing. Listen to 'Saturday' and tell me that this song doesnt get your adrenaline pumping. If it doesn't...then I recommend you start listening to another genre of music.

4. 'Vena Sera' is a refreshing back track to the sound of hard rock worth listening to. Chevelle seems to want to keep the hope of good hard rock and roll alive with this album.

5. Every song on this album can and should be listened to in full....aside from the last bonus track which sounds like it was written and produced as a PR tactic. I can't remember the last time I listened to an album in full. Can you?

6. If you like Chevelle you will like this album. It is them in their ultimate form. Take it or leave it.

Thus concludes my opinion of 'Vena Sera'. Go buy this album if you love listening to rock that makes you lift harder, run faster, and face life with no fear. Otherwise dont even bother listening to it.

While Chevelle are a band whose ceiling is admittedly low when it comes to experimentation and progress, their fourth album, "Vena Sera" just might prove to be the album that takes them to the next level and show that they have what it takes to stand out from the crowd. Brothers Pete and Sam Loeffler are delivering their first album without their bassist/brother Joe and with newcomer/brother-in-law Dean Bernardini entered into the fold, and the changes can definitely be felt. "Vena Sera" isn't introducing a sound that will alienate fans of previous releases, but rather, sounds more confident, energetic and flat-out better.

Opening with the addictive "Antisaint," which wears it's Tool influence proudly on it's sleeve, "Vena Sera" is, from start to finish, the heaviest and richest album Chevelle have come up with. Combining elements from all three previous albums, this is hands down, their best to date. The goal they set for themselves during the making of This Type Of Thinking Could Do Us In of creating songs that were faster and would sound better performed live has definitely paid-off here. There really aren't any mid-tempo hits to be found that resemble "The Red" or "Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)" and honestly, it's a breath of fresh air. Granted, the previous album was great in it's own right, but showed a band stuck in the mud, beginning to repeat a formula. On this album, however, they sound fresher than ever. Not only are the songs heavier and broader, but Pete has definitely fine-tuned his melodies to perfection. The layered "I Get It" is possibly the most radio-ready of the crowd, and makes good use of Pete's ever improving vocals. Another example would be the way he magnificently caps off the first single, "Well Enough Alone." Much of the lyrical content is obviously dealing with the exit of Joe, who was reportedly unhappy with the band's constant touring schedule, with prime examples being "Braniac" and "Humanoid." "Saturdays" breaks the tradition of closing an album out with a somber, acoustic number, but suits the album well. Chevelle obviously don't want to be pegged as a rock-radio band, writing ballads that are purposely made for the masses. That's not to say that some of these songs couldn't be hits, but you get the impression that the band is putting their best, most honest effort forward.

The album's only true downfall is that the mid-section tends to sag a bit. But when it's sandwiched in between some of the band's best material to date -- "Antisaint," "I Get It," "Braniac" -- it's an easy fault to forgive. If you loved the Chevelle you got used to on the last few albums, you might find this album a bit hard to swallow. But honestly, if they had went and made something on the same level as Wonder What's Next I would personally be very disappointed in them. "Vena Sera" is hardly an instant hit, but it's easily the best thing they have done since Point #1 and it'll be interesting to see if they can pull off putting another foot forward on the next album.

This album is great. I really enjoyed "This Type of Thinking..." as well as "Wonder what's Next".
I am very pleased with what I am hearing now. Chevelle rocks hard with great vocals. They seem to have found that perfect edge of patterned riffs and emotional chords, slamming hard and balancing the tide without going to far into the grasp of extreme repitition of a groove. They ride that line so well, where some other band sometimes slides over that edge.
Their songs all surround the listener with a feeling of urgency, seriousness and release. For some reason their songs bring back memories of my life before Chevelle even existed. Strange but good.
Chevelle seems to have perfected their own world they have created.
another reviewer said something to the effect of "if its not broken don't fix it." I agree.. And I would add that respect comes from sticking to your true musical talent and not swaying or changing because of some outside force, like a marketing agency or record company. Many modern bands fallen into that trap, and it loses true fans. Chevelle has stayed true to their sound.
And yes, I also agree...can we get an acoustic closer next time?
Great Album. The best I have heard yet in 2007.

An amazing album, they kill it on this one. They say it was recorded at the Palms in Vegas, I guess the partying helped them out. By far the best 3 man band I can remember! "The Fad" rocks hard!

In my opinion, this is Chevelle's best effort yet. For me , "I Get It" is the best track on the CD. I enjoy "Saturdays", "The Fad" and "Midnight to Midnight" as well. Great production without being overly glossy. There are a lot of Heavy rock bands out there and Chevelle is really coming into their own identity with this one.

I've followed Chevelle since their first album. They set the bar high back on "Wonder What's Next," yet they continue to kick out some great tunes. In some ways this album seems to follow in old footsteps, but the vocals and bass lines hold some variety not heard from before from Chevelle. The lyrics, as always, are cryptic and interesting.

From the intro of "Antisaint" to "The Fad" to "I Get It," this is some great music to crank up loud in the car or in the headphones. I read the Rolling Stone review and almost passed on buying this one. What a mistake that would've been! RS got this one wrong! This album keeps growing on me. I have no regrets.

Someone send those old farts at RS a pair of Q-tips.

Vena Sera is the best Chevelle album! I really like this album! Exellent riffs, and Pete is still the best singer! Chevelle just plain rocks!

I've never been a big Chevelle fan, but this album might change all that! Vena Sera is a brutal and visceral masterpiece. There is no flash or grandiose musical posturing. The music just is, and kicks you right in the face.(In that respect, it reminds me of Skillet's album "Collide")

The vocals blend perfectly with the music. There is a lot of emotion behind the screams and the music makes you feel what the singer is singing about.

I'm going to have to check out Chevelle's back catalog to see if their past efforts can match this new disc.

I have to say that my favorite Chevelle CD is 'Wonder What's Next'. Especially the 'Evening with El Diablo' song, I LOVE that song. I agree with the others about the slower, acoustic type song missing at the end of Vena Sera. But I do like the songs 'Well Enough Alone', 'The Fad', the song before 'The Fad', can't remember the name. I was a little worried before buying this CD that I wasn't going to like it, but I listened to it 2 times and I'm really starting to love this CD. Sometimes with the CD's I love the most, it takes a few listens. I definitely recommend this!