SEVENDUST | Blood And Stone | Album Review

Going strongly for years without having a major downhill slide is a hard task, but Sevendust makes it easy. It's safe to say that there aren't as many bands in the genre with this much longevity and interest from all angles. What makes that claim even more impressive is that Sevendust were originally part of the nu-metal scene. They weren't at the top of the mountain in terms of media attention, but albums like "Home" and especially "Animosity" really connected with people, and that's only continued to be the case. Not many bands that were a part of their scene can tell the same story as some have fallen apart and others have done things that have polarized people. Sevendust is not one of those bands, even though they've had weaker albums that don't stack up well to others, as most bands do. The long running band's 13th studio album "Blood And Stone" is another venture into the breed of hard rock that only they know how to pull off. Recording for "Blood And Stone" played out similarly to their previous album "All I See Is War", with the band tapping Michael "Elvis" Baskette (Alter Bridge, The Classic Crime, Chevelle) again for the production duties. As vocalist Lajon Witherspoon explains it, "...there was a lot of material already to enter the studio. It was fresh and we just felt good. Going back into the studio with producer Elvis Baskette was a very comfortable feeling. The first time we did it... it was a magical vibe. The second time, it was even better and it just seemed like everything was aligned right. It went very well." After the success of their previous album, the band seems confident in his production work, and they truly feel like they have their best feet forward. So, with all of that in mind, how does "Blood And Stone" compare to the band's previous work, and is this an album that shows the band hitting it out of the park once again? 

Closing out the album is their cover of Soundgarden's "The Day I Tried To Live", which is also the first single from the album. In a musicial landscape where every band and artist are covering other people's material and many of them are coming out either soulless or unimpressive, this is a solid interpretation of this classic song. This isn't exactly one of the best cover songs I've ever heard, but hearing it repackaged in Sevendust's style is nice. It's definitely better than a lot of covered material that has been unveiled over the course of the year. Opening up the album, however, are the tracks "Dying To Live", "Love", "Blood From A Stone", and "Feel Like Going On". "Dying To Live" and "Blood From A Stone" were released first, and both are exactly what you'd expect from Sevendust. Longtime fans will definitely be satisfied with these two tracks. Album opener "Dying To Live" especially works well with that catchy main riff and has the potential to be one of the signature songs from this album as it ages. "Blood From A Stone" is similar to that, but I don't feel as interested in this track. It does feel like something you'd hear from the Sonny Mayo era of Sevendust, especially in the verses. The hook in the chorus is solid, though, and overall, the track isn't too bad. The tracks "Love" and "Feel Like Going On" are what I'm mainly drawn to in the first third of the album. "Love" represents the more guitar-driven side of the album with both Lajon and Clint Lowery giving stellar performances, and "Feel Like Going On" is a slower ballad with thought provoking lyrics. These tracks feel like Sevendust are still at the top of their game, and all four of these tracks are drenched in the identity of this band. 

After that, we are taken downhill with the tracks "What You've Become" and "Kill Me". Granted, both of these songs are okay, and they fit with the style of the album in a decent way, but these tracks feel like typical Sevendust fare. "What You've Become" is especially guilty of that with its awkward beat and underwhelming solo. They aren't terrible, but we've heard songs like this before from the band. "Nothing Left To See Here Anymore" does elevate the quality for a brief moment with its more melodic structure and blues-like rhythm before taking us back into more middle of the road territory with "Desperation", which once again suffers from sounding similar to other Sevendust songs. Following that track is "Criminal", which is definitely a hidden gem on this album and is a song I can see getting positive reception from the Sevendust fanbase. It's probably the best ballad-like track on "Blood And Stone" and there is an excellent focus placed on the catchy chorus as well as the vocal performances of Witherspoon and Lowery as they harmonize throughout the track. This is easily the highlight of the entire album. After that comes "Against The World" which is more upbeat and has shades of some of Sevendust's early work in place. It's another highlight on the album, and easily one of the more fleshed out tracks. The guitar solo adds a very unique dynamic to this song to say the least. 

Concluding the original material on the album are the tracks "Alone" and "Wish You Well". "Alone" is a solid enough track, but it's also similar to other tracks we've already heard on the album, particularly the song "Desperation". It's like they wanted to make a slower version of that song, and while the hooks are there, there's nothing to write home about. "Wish You Well" can be described in much the same way, but unlike "Alone", there is a lot to get behind with the blend of melody and aggression that takes place, especially in the bridge. It serves as a perfect bookend to this album before you get to the Soundgarden cover, which as already mentioned is a solid album closer. "Blood And Stone" is a signature Sevendust album and has all of the characteristics that longtime fans and newcomers will appreciate from the band, and while it does work on tracks like "Criminal", "Feel Like Going On", and "Love", in the end, this album really turns out to be in the middle of the band's discography. There are several killer tracks, but there are also moments where you find yourself checking out and not being very interested. However, the killer tracks pack a punch and make this album worth seeking out. It's not on the level of "Animosity" but it's still Sevendust playing with their tools the best they know how to do so, and that's admirable. Overall, "Blood And Stone" is a thirteen track collection of signature anthems that die hard Sevendust fans will add to their lists of favorite songs from the band. It's far from their strongest record to date, but it's still a testament to the band's unimpeachable longevity and consistency. 

RATING: 7/10