Sevendust * 10 Years * Since October * A New Revolution

Sevendust is an American alternative metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. The band was formed in 1994 by bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group. Following a few name changes, the members settled on the name Sevendust and released their self-titled debut, Sevendust, on April 15, 1997.

The self-titled debut sold 311 copies its first week. However, through touring, and Tvt support, the album gained charting success through Billboard and earned gold certification.

Bassist Vince Hornsby joined drummer Morgan Rose in 1994, in a band called Snake Nation. John Connolly, a drummer, left his current band and joined Snake Nation as a guitarist. They recorded their first demo. Not happy with vocals, however, Snake Nation spent a year searching for a new singer before finding Lajon Witherspoon. Six months passed, Clint Lowery joined the band and they renamed themselves Rumblefish.

Rumblefish was short-lived, however, because they found another band with the same name. They renamed themselves Crawlspace, and released My Ruin on the Mortal Kombat soundtrack album entitled More Kombat through TVT Records in 1996. Shortly after, another band named Crawlspace sent notice that they wanted $50,000 for the rights to their name. Rather than purchase the rights, the band members chose to rename themselves Sevendust.

Sevendust released their self-titled debut on April 15, 1997, known for its heavy riffs, angry vocals and thrash-like drumming, as the songs Black and Bitch. Black was the opening song for nearly every Sevendust concert until 2004. The debut album also contains the song My Ruin, from the Mortal Kombat soundtrack. Sevendust appeared on the Billboard 200, remained there for sixteen weeks and peaked at 165 on April 4, 1998. The album went gold on May 19, 1999.

In 1998, Sevendust performed at Dynamo Open Air (May 29–31) and Ozzfest 1998 (July through August). In the same year they released a compilation called Live and Loud which featured live footage of the bands September 16, 1998 performance at Chicago's Metro.

On August 24, 1999, they released their second album, Home. The album peaked at 19 on the Billboard 200 and featured Skin from Skunk Anansie and Chino Moreno from Deftones as guest vocalists. The two singles from the album, "Denial" and "Waffle", gave the band moderate chart success, and the latter of which was played on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien show. They appeared in Woodstock 1999 and have toured with many bands such as Korn, Staind, Nonpoint, Reveille, Godsmack, Mudvayne, Mushroomhead, Powerman 5000, Creed, Kid Rock, Machine Head, Limp Bizkit, Disturbed, and Metallica. In 1999, they gained European exposure by opening for Skunk Anansie at various shows in Germany. They also opened with Kid Rock and Ted Nugent for Metallica on New Year's Eve in 1999 at the Pontiac Silverdome near Detroit, Michigan. They also joined Slipknot, Coal Chamber and other bands on the Tattoo the Earth Tour in June 2000.

In November 2001, the band released their third album, Animosity. This album went gold and gained the band commercial success thanks to the success of singles "Praise" and "Angel's Son", which peaked at 15 and 11, respectively, on the Mainstream Rock Tracks. "Angel's Son" was a tribute to Lynn Strait, the lead singer of the band Snot, whom the members of Sevendust were friends with. Strait had died in a car accident in 1998. In addition to being included on Animosity, the song was included on the compilation album Strait Up. The band made an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman playing an acoustic version of "Angel's Son" featuring Paul Shaffer on keyboards.

In the same year Sevendust was seen in the Chris Rock movie Down to Earth as a partial clip of "Waffle" is played.

Another friend of the band, Dave Williams the lead singer of Drowning Pool, died in 2002. Tragedy would strike again when Lajon Witherspoon's younger brother was shot and killed later that year. Due to his death, Sevendust went on hiatus in 2002.


In 2003, Sevendust returned with their fourth album, Seasons. The album debuted at #14 in the US, selling around 68,000 copies in its first week. This was one of the band's best received albums and to date features their highest charting single (tied with "Driven"), "Enemy," which peaked at #10 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. "Enemy" was made the official theme song for WWE Unforgiven 2003. Other singles released from the album, "Broken Down" and "Face To Face," met with more moderate success charting at 20 and 22, respectively.

In 2004, for the first time in the band's career, they released a live album on a CD/DVD double disk package titled Southside Double-Wide Acoustic Live. Both the CD and the DVD include a cover of "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails which is dedicated to Johnny Cash.

On December 11, 2004, after playing a show in Columbus, Ohio, it was announced that Clint Lowery had left the band mid-tour, because he wanted to play with his brother Corey Lowery in his new band Dark New Day, who had reportedly just signed with Warner Bros. Records. A replacement was found for the rest of the dates and was eventually replaced by Sonny Mayo from Snot and Amen. At roughly the same time, Sevendust and TVT Records parted ways.

On March 26, 2008, Sevendust announced that Clint Lowery, former guitarist and vocalist for the band, had quit his duties as guitarist for Dark New Day and would be returning to the Sevendust lineup in place of Sonny Mayo. On Lowery's return, Morgan Rose stated "This was extremely tough considering Sonny is our brother and has been amazing to work with. [Sonny] didn't do anything wrong at all; we just owe it to ourselves and all the folks that grew up with us to put our original band back together."

Since formation, Sevendust has released eight studio albums, earned additional charting success and gold sales certifications. Their eighth studio album, titled Cold Day Memory, was released on April 20, 2010. They have also re-released their self-titled debut album as Sevendust: Definitive Edition which contains five new tracks and a DVD

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Jesse Hasek – vocals
Ryan “Tater” Johnson – guitar
Lewis Cosby – bass
Brian Vodinh – guitar/drums

The members of 10 Years might not have used the word crossroads when they began the making of their newest Universal Republic album, but all would concur the wolf was at the door. Figuratively and literally – agree frontman Jesse Hasek and bassist Lewis Cosby; Fighting off the most unforgiving of predatory assaults that comes with the territory of a respected, veteran band like 10 Years who bears the scars of every battle won or lost along the way.

The close-knit members’ core creed has always demanded they set their own standards – answering only to their collective challenges as a band, wolves and industry naysayers…be damned.

The difference this time is they called on all their might. And more than a little wisdom.

The aptly titled result – Feeding The Wolves – thunders out from their storm- charred legacy as the heaviest album they’ve made in nearly a decade, a gift to loyal fans long promised darker hues from the Tennessee band, and maybe a much needed ‘opening’ for a rock world starving for some kick-ass direction, of late. Ominous songs such as “Shoot It Out,” “The Wicked Ones,” and “Now Is The Time” sound and feel as if they can stop bullets, spreading the kind of musical shards and shrapnel that only a band in peak, 10 Years’ condition can deliver.

“I’ve enjoyed every album we’ve made for different reasons,” says Jesse. “We never want to make the same record twice, but this one started with a kind of aggressive edge and ended with that same energy that really felt special. We worked hard not to take that ‘edge’ off. We kept the integrity of the songs by keeping them aggressive.” Lewis seconds the notion: “We’ve been saying for

years we wanted to get back to a heavier, darker sound and then by the time we’d go into the studio, things would change. This time nothing changed. There was always that kick-ass feeling in the room, coupled with some things we haven’t done before.”

Producer Howard Benson (Seether, Flyleaf) was chosen to helm the proceedings, another integral component to locking down the 10 Years magic that had made them one of the world’s most enigmatic live and studio bands.
“He understood where we were at and where we wanted to go,” says Lewis. “He was perfect for this ‘big’ sounding kind of record,” states Jesse.

Ironically, both Jesse and Lewis also cite the ‘drift’ after 2008’s prophetically titled
Division - an album that was made after nearly two years on the road – as another factor in the path back to 10 Years’ reclamation: A trial by fire and those not-as-obvious corrosive elements that can whittle away at a band’s interior compass. The entire period became emblematic of the push-and-pull going on within 10 Years, truly a band that was stretched to its limits. “I think every band who has some success goes through it,” says Lewis. “But there were days after a show where I’d actually wonder ‘was this our last?’ We went through all kinds
of changes during the Division cycle. Personnel changes, management changes
– a lot of negativity rippling through our camp. We even made that record outside Seattle where we ended up only feeling more disconnected. We eventually decided to take some time away and get some perspective.”

A clean break can be cathartic – but never a guarantee that the players will reconvene on the same page. The band promised themselves before gathering for this album that getting back into that rehearsal room with their collective
‘headspace’ intact was priority number one. “There was just a feeling in the air that we were going to come hard on this one,” says Lewis. “We even gathered 3 weeks prior, in a rehearsal space in L.A. before we were scheduled to record, which was unusual for us. The fire in the belly was back.”

And as fate would have it, inspirational flames were also heating up the 10 Years furnace courtesy of the rehearsal room next door. “They probably don’t even know what it meant to us, but Rage Against The Machine was playing in the
room next to us,” says Jesse. “We could just feel the sound coming out of the there. You have to understand, they, along with bands like Metallica and Nirvana and the Deftones were what we grew up on. To hear them killing it like that – I know it affected us.”

Lewis says the enthusiasm was palpable. “We were like kids, saying “’God, did you just hear that?’ I realized everything that was coming out of them was so riff- heavy. Our album was heading in that same direction. It was like a sign. We were so pumped. We arrived in LA with songs already written, yet here we were, so inspired, I bet we wrote five more in there that ended up on the album. We were on a mission on this one.”


A communal slugfest that also ended up being their most collaborative effort. “The way we write has always been an open door,” says Jesse. “We just kicked it down this time. Brian would bring in a guitar part, or I’d have some verses, but we were more methodical. We even went down a lot of avenues that didn’t end up on the record, but we went down them all together.”

Such crucial threads are pulled tight on songs like the bristling “Shoot It Out,” fanning the ‘feeding the wolves’ premise that came to represent some of the band’s ferocious themes on the new album. “We’re not just talking about the stereotypical ‘wolves’ in the music industry,” says Jesse. “Everybody on the planet has bigger dreams than just sitting around waiting to die. Sometimes you have to put yourself on the line for those dreams. You are out there – but so are the ‘wolves’ waiting to feed.” “And they can bleed you dry,” adds Lewis. Jesse confirms it was easy to work on that song as a band because the group was so in sync with the motivation behind it. “We’ve been through the ringer, where if you give people an inch they will take a mile,” he says. Another song that throws down the 10 Years gauntlet is the impenetrable “Fix Me.” “I think it’s going to be one of the songs that grabs people from the start,” says Lewis – fueled by lyrics that just may be slyly revealing the 10 Years hidden-code: ‘I’m fine in the fire/I feed on the friction/I’m right where I should be/Don’t try and fix me…/

If there has ever been a band comfortable about being appreciated solely on its merits – about being accepted ‘as is,’ that band is 10 Years.

Ever since 2001, when the group replaced their original vocalist with Jesse Hasek, 10 Years seemed to sense that being armed with signature sound and fury would eventually gain them one of the most loyal audiences in rock. In
2004, they released the indie missile Killing All That Holds You, featuring the
now-classic “Wasteland” and “Through the Iris,” and netted them their major label debut with Universal Republic. Their acclaimed 2005 effort, The Autumn Effect, snagged them massive radio and video play, established their rabid audience, and handed them prime touring spots with bands such as Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, Mudvayne and Sevendust. Later, torrid live-runs with Linkin Park, Korn and the Deftones, further cemented their reputation as one of the most credible live acts of the decade.

Division arrived in 2008, with the aforementioned trials mentioned by Lewis, and a baptism via rock n’ roll bullshit that might have annihilated lesser bands. “No need to go into it,” says Jesse. “It’s why I take my little digital recorder around. I’m always observing, always getting ideas. I find a corner and get ‘em down on tape. If I’m lucky, they sometimes blossom into songs.”

Known as a wordsmith who can hang with the best of them, but for also leaving room for the listener to interpret his riveting observations wrapped around the

scorching guitar treads of band co-founder Brian Vodinh, Hasek has also been humbled by simply being around his first child.

“Change isn’t always bad,” he says. “Most of the changes we have gone through have made us better people and a better band. The band-part takes all of us working hard to make the kind of music we know we are capable of. I think we did that on this one.”

Lewis says it was all about coming to the same conclusion without making any pronouncements. “It’s the most cooperative thing we’ve ever done by far. It’s like we all had the same epiphany without really having to talk about it too much. You’d be cheating yourself if you don’t sit down and listen to the entire album. . We left it all there for everyone to hear.”


Official site: http://www.10yearsmusic.com

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SINCE OCTOBER IS:

Ben Graham vocals
Luke Graham guitar
Josh Johnson bass
Audie Grantham drums

There are few who place honesty and vulnerability as their foremost virtues in artistry. After all, rock n’ roll has been built on fantasies, imaginations, and the hype of cartoonlike demagogues. Yet, today, as the music industry itself searches for new voices, there seems to be a growing hunger among the public for something real, something beyond plastic personas and fake fluorescent skies.

The music industry is crying out for an honest voice. Since October has answered these cries with This is My Heart.

Neither pompous nor pretentious, this is not another of the endless parade of power-pop outfits or screamo clones. Simply put, this is a collection of heavy rock songs that have endless commercial viability and no agenda beyond connecting with the hearts of any and all who would hear them. Frontman and lyricist Ben Graham explains:

“It’s truth. It’s real life stories. And this record is a part of me. And probably a part of me that most people would never see if I could not put it to music, it’s honest. It’s just rock n roll. We love big melodies, we love harmonies, throw in a little screaming and that’s us. We are fans of that type of music and that’s probably why we play and write it.”

One need look no further than the band’s first rock single, “Disaster” for the crux of their approach. Though the guitars cut like knives and the opening vocal lines are delivered with ferocious firepower, there is a universal quality that is distinct and tangible in the first seconds of the track. A hooky, melodic verse gives way to a chorus that is...gigantic. Such is the case with entirety of This is From My Heart, though the other most notable single is their upcoming second “In This Moment.” Given the proper exposure these songs can sit alongside the heavyweights of the active rock world.

Lyrically speaking, Graham’s lyrics are as connective as the sonic qualities of the songs themselves. Visions of desperation, hope, and redemption are painted with primary colors against the sonic canvas, leaving the listener with no uncertain impressions. He speaks words of wisdom on learning from mistakes on “Disaster”: Thank God for disaster, disaster and tears. Thank God for my reason, my reason to fear. On “Guilty,” he pleads for heaven to release him from tainted memories: Guilt has got the best of me.

I’m holding on to almost nothing, wondering if innocence could ever lead to my forgiveness. And finally, on “Follow Me Down” he confides in the listener about his own battles with pride: My struggle is not flesh and blood now. This pride I loved is staring me down, constantly it’s taking me far away from the place that I should be. Graham does present an idea of his own perfection, but rather his need for salvation on every single track. Needless to say, these songs from hearts that have been humbled from real life experiences.

Though this is the band’s first label release, these four Bradenton, Florida stalwarts are far from freshmen. They sold over 5,000 copies of an independent release prior to signing to Tooth and Nail, and have toured extensively during the two-year stretch that has led them up to this point. Having shared the stage with Seventh Day Slumber, Pillar, Disciple, Decypher Down, and Underoath, they are more than prepared for the hundreds of shows that are soon to follow. Graham comments on their touring approach:

“I love the fact that the industry is shifting back towards the live show; you will not make it far if you cannot make a lasting impression with your performance. We feel more than prepared to meet this challenge--God willing--and are more than excited to show people what we can do.”

With the proper perspective and motivation on where their potential success lies, this band has something that few possess: brokenness. Where the proud and boastful abound, here are four men who know what it means to admit who they truly are behind any perception. They are men who know their destinies lie outside their own hands.

“We want to be successful enough to stay on the road and continue to do what I love. We want to stay as far away from all the politics and nonsense that comes along with industry. We don’t want to get bogged down with anything except our primary purpose and vision: To encourage people with our music. We would love to change lives along the way, and provide therapy for the listener.”

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