Vena Sera [EXTRA TRACKS]

Chevelle

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 3, 2007)
• Original Release Date: April 3, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Label: Epic
• ASIN: B000NJLM3C
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (136 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,605 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Chevelle has been releasing solid, if not entirely original-sounding, albums for the better part of a decade now and Vena Sera serves as another pleasant but workaday entry in the band's still sparse oeuvre. The group's continued debt to Tool remains obvious on the hard-hitting opener "Antisaint" with its throbbing guitar work and from-the-gut vocals and can also be heard during the arena-ready stomp "The Fad." There are few surprises throughout, very little we haven't already heard from Chevelle and its contemporaries before: The pulsating, detuned riffs that populate the mosh-intensive "Humanoid" and the fairly pallid late-album arrival "Midnight to Midnight" (which could have been a serious radio contender circa 1999) share space with the uplifting guitar figures of the slightly pop-inflected "Brainiac" and the nearly anthemic "Well Enough Alone" to familiar but comforting effect. Still, lovers could do far worse than dive in and enjoy some workmanlike riffs delivered in an enthusiastic fashion that many of this band's imitators will never manage to muster. Vena Sera is decent through and through but hardly ever life-changing.––Jedd Beaudoin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Best Hard Rock Available, April 25, 2007

By	Mark A. Schreiber "scribe23" (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Let's Call It Change.", April 6, 2007

By	Mr. Censored (Maine) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vena Sera is Anything But a Disappointment, April 25, 2007

By	Chris Thonis "Listensmart" (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.