Oh heeeeeeyy, everybody! Here we are with another review from your humble MAESTRO. This time, we check in on SEVENDUST and their brand-new offering, One (out now via Napalm Records). Fifteen albums? Rama-DAMN!
It’s wild to say, and even cooler to know, that this band has been part of my heavy music journey since 1997. An article in Metal Edge spotlighted SEVENDUST in its “New Bands to Watch” section, and I was excited before I’d even heard a single note.
Several record store trips proved fruitless until Christmas night that year. My best buddy Joe and I had a long-standing tradition of hitting Tower Records to put our gift cards to work. And there it was — the debut album. When “Black” washed over my speakers and brain, that was it. I was all in.
Since then, I’ve awaited each and every SEVENDUST release with bated breath, and for good reason. Their albums always bring da ruckus to my ears, with nary a bad one in the bunch. With that in mind, let’s have a look-see at One.
Now, this is a record that didn’t grab me at first the way their albums usually do. And that’s where my Three Spins rule comes into play. I never write anything, good or bad, about a disc until I’ve gone through it three times from start to finish. You never know what pops on that all-important third listen.
From day one, though, “We Won” was my big winner and number one song. The next tune, “Construct,” mines that crushing riff territory we know this band can deliver consistently. The same goes for the opener and title track, “One.”
From there, things move in a slightly more melodic direction with “Unbreakable” and “Is This the Real You,” which is never a bad thing as far as I’m concerned. The rest of the album moves from good to just OK, and with a 39-minute runtime, the whole thing goes by in a jiff.
All told, I like this one. I just don’t love it. Never fear, though, because SEVENDUST always kills it on the live front. One is available now, so do yourself a favor and give it a spin or three.
STANDOUT TRACKS: “We Won,” “Construct,” “Is This the Real You”
RATING: 8/10
—THE MAESTRO
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