Releasing aggression and frustration through music is nothing new in the world of metal, but it takes a special finesse to turn raging feelings into a true work of art.
After venting to the world for over a decade, Sevendust have reached new levels of maturity and craftsmanship in their latest release, Alpha. Their blend of screaming vocals, thundering drums, vicious guitars and smooth moments of tranquility has never sounded so polished, despite the fact that this album is more belligerent than any of their previous releases.
This is evident from the moment the first track, ""Deathstar,"" begins. There is no distinct intro, just an immediate assault from the growling vocals, accented by stampeding drum intensity. A technique that Sevendust uses more than once—mixing a quick, grinding guitar section with a steady percussion beat—creates a subtle contrast that reeks of conflict, often times mirroring the lyrics.
""Under"" has a steady and lingering feel to match the weight and elusiveness of introspective lyrics, such as ""If I was under / Could I see myself on the floor? / If I should trip inside my mind / Would I be under control of it all?"" The song represents the fear of the thoughts within and internal battles.
Other common themes of the album are revenge, manipulation, respect and not taking life for granted. ""Story of Your Life"" is a furious attack on people who stumble through life unobservant, expecting the answers to fall into their lap without any reasoning or effort.
Ironically, ""Aggression"" begins with a mournful piano intro that seems anything but aggressive. However, the tension slowly builds as the instrumentation becomes more layered into a dark compliment to the chorus of ""Took a wrist and cut it open / And now it seems I'm throwing you over the edge / We had a gift no one had / You never thought I'd be cutting you open again.""
Although Alpha is very intense and dark, there are a few tracks with a less harsh vibe. ""Clueless"" is a fuzzy track about living life without taking things for granted that renounces hypocrisy. The verses are a bit rough, but the chorus can only be described as beautiful. The distortion melts away and once again, the growling gives way to a more traditional style.
The longest and most unique track, however, is ""Burn."" Although it is nine minutes long, it never drags along or gets dull. The verses have a guitar riff quick enough to cause dizziness and are short and sweet. Halfway through, the track changes into a soft blend of piano and percussion, allowing all the fury to simply fade away into wondering.
Alpha is a great fusion of unbridled rage and meditation. Sevendust are clearly growing up and adapting to a new stage of their lives with enormous success.
