ALL ACCESS: Morgan Rose

CD Review: Sevendust – Kill The Flaw
7Bros. Records
All Access Rating: A-

Sevendust - Kill The Flaw 2015

Sevendust was built for the long haul, and so are their ardent admirers. A model of consistency, they cultivated a loyal following most bands would sell their souls for, and there's no reason for the long-running hard-rock quintet to give up the ghost now, especially not after just unleashing what might be their finest work in their 18 years together.

Kill The Flaw is the 11th studio album from a hard-rock quintet that could easily have burned out quickly in the '90s after a string of gold albums and incessant touring. There's something to be said for the kind of longevity Sevendust has achieved. Even more noteworthy is that, after all this time, they're still pushing themselves creatively to grow and mature, without losing their identity – a tricky balancing act some of their peers never managed to pull off.

As floods of expansive, winding melodies that no dam could hope to hold wash over the self-produced Kill The Flaw, where thick carpets of heavy guitars and surging, sculpted grooves decorate mansions of sound, it's the emotionally powerful vocals of charismatic front man Lajon Witherspoon that give each place its heart and soul. Calming the thunder somewhat, Sevendust allows the complex dynamics of "Forget," "Cease And Desist" and "Not Today" to sink their firm hooks into an audience already reeling from the rapturous, ever-widening epics "Thank You" and "Death Dance." The dark crunch of "Letters" plumbs the layered, atmospheric depths of The Deftones, while "Silly Beast" evokes comparisons to the slick, majestic sonic designs of Muse and "Peace And Destruction" and a gripping title track deliver their sincere messages with fierce urgency and strong riffing from guitarists Clint Lowery and John Connolly. Hearing these songs is like being swallowed by an easy chair and drowning in its plush cushions.

Signs of progressing artistry are found all over Kill The Flaw, but it's the easy flow, the clarity and definition of the songwriting here that raise the bar, making for memorable experiences that should absolutely soar in live environments, where Sevendust really shines. Whatever "flaws" there are here are mostly submerged, and if Kill The Flow doesn't break any new ground, it does suggest that Sevendust isn't willing to compromise its vision. And that is why their fan base sticks around.
– Peter Lindblad