 | Tracklist:
1.) Antisaint
2.) Brainiac
3.) Saferwaters
4.) Well Enough Alone
5.) Straight Jacket Fashion
6.) The Fad
7.) Humanoid
8.) Paint The Seconds
9.) Midnight To Midnight
10.) I Get It
11.) Saturdays
| Ranking: #126 for 2007 | |
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On 50 Lists
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| Summary: The edgiest metal release from Chevelle. |
0 of 2 thought this review was well written
Chevelle has been a band I've always tried to become a big fan of with each album release, but it never really happened. When Send the Pain Below off of their sophomore album Wonder What's Next took over the radio, I bought the album, but it all seemed so disjointed and makeshift. When I fell in love with The Clincher off of their third album, This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In), I once again bought the album, but came to find out the album lacked an identity as a whole. Once again, I fell in love with the single Well Enough Alone and mustered up enough courage to buy their fourth attempt, Vena Sera. The only difference this time around was that I wasn't disappointed. I was delightfully surprised.
Chevelle has become a metal band that gets played on the radio-plain and simple. They're harder then the venerable modern rockers Breaking Benjamin that take the radio by force with each single. They're just pure metal. Loud, heavy guitar riffs litter the backdrop while Pete Loeffler, the lead singer, screams at the top of his voice, at times for a very long time. Let's just say, for a three-person band, Chevelle packs a wallop.
In fact, Chevelle is too macho to even feature a typical nu-metal ballad; they go right for the rockers which each song; in retrospective, the song opens up heavy with Antisaint and never slows down-not even a bit. But before we get ahead of ourselves, the album isn't mindless, repetitive, boring guitar riffs and choruses like the opener; and you quickly learn that with songs like the tempo and rhythm to Brainiac, or the ever-building beat to Well Enough Alone. Not only is Vena Sera hard, its melodic, catchy, and is honestly some of the best music to come out of the mainstream hard rock/metal genre. The scream at the beginning and middle to Well Enough Alone sets the song apart from previous Chevelle albums; its loud and long. But enough gushing over Loeffler's scream for now. The Fad kicks off with some strangely distorted verse before it breaks into a ridiculously catchy and simple chorus where Loeffler screams, yet again. There's plenty other songs that scream metal on this album, like Midnight to Midnight which sounds like it could have been a hit from their major influence, Helmet.
But not all of the album is the pure metal, it doesn't surprise me that Chevelle keeps with their roots that made them a huge hit-their ability to make ridiculously catchy songs. I Get It fills this void well. The song starts off with barely a verse before breaking into a simplistic, yet catchy chorus before it breaks down again into a verse. The song is still hard, but feels like it could have been a single off of Wonder What's Next. Same with Saturdays which feels the most tame and alt-rock on Vena Sera.
The lyrics are just like they've always been; haunting, apocalyptic, and at times odd; which is shown in the song Humanoid, which is about an android. Too bad you can't understand the vocals in half of the songs-Loeffler's vocals are always incomprehensible, and this album doesn't change things. For example, in the verse to The Fad, the verses almost sound as if he's saying Cinnamon, Taste the Room. No joke-listen to the song and you'll see what I mean. But even with Loeffler's strange way of delivering the vocals, the lead singer makes the band just like always with his screaming, booming, and at times soothing vocals.
Vena Sera is a solid release. No, it's not original, but no, its not like any of their previous albums. With each release, it seems as if Chevelle explores the outer spectrum of hard rock; Point #1 was all about the slower, alternative metal anthems, Wonder What's Next was all about catchy radio rock, This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) was the edgier, yet boring hard rock mixed in with a few off-tempo rockers. Vena Sera explores their metal side, and that's where their best. Before this album, Chevelle was a bland mainstream rock band, but with Vena Sera, Chevelle's made a name for themselves, and officially found a genre that fits them well.
DOWNLOAD:
Brainiac
Well Enough Alone
The Fad
I Get It
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I think someone has a hard on for mainstream angst rock, yes?
I used to liek Chevelle somewhat, but now, I'm not a big fan.
Digging: Mount Eerie - Clear Moon Digging: Mount Eerie - Clear Moon
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How?
I gave it a 4, that's pretty standard for this album...
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[quote=ec]I think someone has a hard on for mainstream angst rock, yes?[/quote]
Much like someone has a hard on for trite and boring underground indie, yes?
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tribestos, I mean by your 3 positive reviews for Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, and Chevelle. Nothing against you or your opinions, which for the most part seem good (Haven't heard Minutes To Midnight, so I won't say anything about the 3.5), so take no offense. It's all good.
And Intransit, the only bigger hard on I have is for you.
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First three tracks are incredible.
Digging: Spacemen 3 - The Perfect Prescription
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And "I Get It" is amazing too.
| | | Album Rating: 3
i was surprised to hear the F word in a chevelle song, other than that this album has some great songs
Digging: In Mourning - The Weight of Oceans Digging: In Mourning - The Weight of Oceans | | | Album Rating: 3
OK review. You didn't really justify your 4/5 rating meanwhile you were just bashing most of the songs.
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I bashed Saferwaters, because Saferwaters sucks, and called Straight Jacket Fashion average.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
i think i'm going to write a review on this later.
i'm notta big fan of this review... in fact i believe the only thing i agree with you on is the quality of "The Fad," though i didn't have too much trouble understanding what he was saying... also Midnight to Midnight is by no means the worst song
Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music | | | Album Rating: 3
If you think this is the best chevelle album you must be missing something. I don't see how someone can dislike the previous two albums and then enjoy this one. Well Enough Alone is actually one of their worst singles and it kind of annoys me. I think you should go back and listen to the previous albums.... being a fan of the band I can give you some key tracks from previous albums to listen to.....
Digging: The Roots - undun Digging: The Roots - undun | | |
I rewrote my Chevelle-Vena Sera review.
| | | Album Rating: 5
I've heard recently that Chevelle was starting to record a new album, but I don't remember where it was from. I hope it is true because Vena Sera blew me away and I think Chevelle just keeps getting better and better with each album.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
WWN is their best. or maybe Point #1 is, I haven't heard it.
I'm definitely interested in more Chevelle though.
Digging: The Fall of Troy - Doppelganger Digging: The Fall of Troy - Doppelganger | | | Album Rating: 4.5
chevelle is not metal, especially not as metal as you've made them seem.
also saferwaters and sjf are two of their best songs to date.
so excited for september...
Digging: The Weeknd - House of Balloons Digging: The Weeknd - House of Balloons | | |
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