Sevendust never follow a linear path. Instead, they continue to bulldoze a lane of their own with a proven
one-two punch of rumbling grooves, unpredictable riffing, and stirringly soulful vocals unlike anything else
in hard rock. As a result, their music connects straight to the heart as evidenced by their full-contact live
shows and diehard âfamilyâ of fans. Itâs why theyâve been around since 1994, tallied global sales of seven
million, logged three gold-selling albums, delivered three Top 15 debuts on the Billboard 200, and
garnered a GRAMMYÂŽ Award nomination in the category of âBest Metal Performance.â Theyâre the rare
force of nature who not only graced the bills of Woodstock and OZZfest, but also Shiprocked! and Sonic
Temple and some of the largest stages around the globe. Along the way, theyâve notably collaborated with
everyone from members of Deftones, Daughtry, and Staind to Alter Bridge, Periphery, and Xzibit. 2020
saw them deliver one of the most-acclaimed albums of their career with Blood & Stone, which Metal
Hammer christened âSevendustâs best work in yearsâ and Outburn dubbed âeverything a Sevendust fan
could want.â
However, the Atlanta quintetâLajon Witherspoon [lead vocals], Clint Lowery [lead guitar, backing vocals],
John Connolly [rhythm guitar, backing vocals], Vince Hornsby [bass], and Morgan Rose [drums]âdefy
expectations yet again on their fourteenth full-length and debut for Napalm Records, Truth Killer.
âWe really cared about the process,â notes Clint. âItâs never a straight line with Sevendust. Weâve always
made left turns and dip into super heavy and very melodic sounds. We still try to do things a little
differently. I think we recreated the magic on this one, and we overcommitted to making sure every song
was great.â
In order to do so, the guys regrouped as friends first. Initially, they decamped to Lajonâs farmhouse. Over
the course of four days in 2022, they demoed out the bulk of the record, rekindling the spark that defined
their seminal output.
âWe wanted to be friends again, shoot the shit, and become that garage band we were,â Clint goes on.
âIt set the tone for our relationship, and the creativity opened up. We got back together and made another
fun record.â
Once again, they recorded in Florida with producer Michael âElvisâ Baskette [Alter Bridge, Mammoth,
Trivium]. This time around, they expanded the soundscape, incorporating programming by Clint and
adding cinematic heft to their signature style.
âWe took our time on this record,â he goes on. âWe pulled in a lot of electronic elements. In the past, I
hired outside programmers, but I did the programming myself. I tried to create a musical bed that made
it easy to sing cool vocal parts. We always set a goal to have a certain sound, and we followed through
with it. We didnât compromise.â
As such, the album opens with perhaps the biggest departure, the slow-burning âI Might Let The Devil
Win.â Piano pierces glitchy beat-craft as Lajonâs delivery borders on magnetic and manic as he confesses,
âI want to give in, oh no, the devil wonât win.â
If Trent Reznor produced The Weeknd, it might sound something like thisâŚ
âWhen we agreed on the song, we realized we could do anything,â says Clint. âThe vocal is really upfront
and in your face. It seems like heâs whispering the lyrics in your ear. You keep resisting temptations, but
finally youâre like, âItâs just who I am. Iâm going to do itâ.â
On the other end of the spectrum, the first single and finale âFenceâ goes right for the jugular with
pummeling drums, a chugging riff, and guttural barks from Lajon. It crashes right into a hammering hook
before spiraling into an incendiary solo.
âIt has the old school Sevendust vibes,â he smiles. âIt was really a product of collaboration at the
farmhouse. Morgan was playing, and we all started jamming in the same room. Iâm so glad we got a chance
to do a headhunter like âFenceâ for this album.â
The title track âTruth Killerâ fuses searing orchestration with a rush of distortion and powerhouse refrain.
âNobody wants to hear the real truth,â laments Clint. âThey want things sugarcoated and watered-down,
so they can feel better. It definitely spoke to the overall tone of the subject matter.â
Then, thereâs âEverything.â A jarring guitar melody underlines an affirmation on the catastrophically
catchy chorus. âYouâre basically saying, âIâll be anything you need me to be, and Iâll be there for you in every
way possibleâ,â he elaborates.
As if baptized in frustration, âHoly Waterâ snakes through an off-kilter bounce over incisive synths towards
a massive chant, âSomeday Iâll see the light. I hope before I die.â
âNone of us are perfect, so thereâs no reason to judge,â Clint observes. âWeâre all trying to figure it out,
but a lot of people will sling their holy water at you and act like theyâre better than everyone. I have a
definite belief and relationship with God, but Iâm not here to make anyone believe anything.â
âSuperficial Drugâ intoxicates with a sinewy bass line and head-nodding groove as one of the recordâs
most melodic moments takes hold.
âEveryone needs the âfollowsâ and âlikesâ,â he continues. âThe social media world is very superficial for the
most part. Itâs part of the design, and Iâm guilty of it too. So, the song says, âGo ahead and take your
superficial drug. Iâm over itâ. I want to be around people where thereâs depth to the conversations. We
have enough friends. We would die for our fans and the Sevendust family. Thatâs all we need.â
In the end, Truth Killer reaffirms thereâs only one Sevendustâand theyâre here forever.
âAs a kid who used to wait in lines to see concerts, I want to deliver the artistic quality I was looking for as
a fan,â Clint leaves off. âI want people to know we cared, took some chances, and still have the creative
spark. I want them to know we have more to say and more to prove.â