Review Summary: An enjoyable, well-rounded rock album.
There's certain expectations that come with rock albums, in my opinion. When the word 'rock' is announced, sonic memories of dichotomous styles ring in my mind. The first to enter my thoughts is straight forward, distorted guitars power chording alongside a noticeable drum and bass presence that, while great when done right, more often than not falls into samey, repetitive structure that really offers nothing more than an avid rock collector couldn't rediscover by venturing back to the heavy stockpile they already possessed.
The other side of the spectrum calls the slower "rock ballads" into play. Another tested formula that sees the normally strained, scratchy voice of the vocalist dial it down into mellowed, subdued territory while the rest of the band accommodates for the relaxed feel (I can't help but think of Nickelback's god awful cliches as I wrote this).
Most rock bands worth their salt keep these two staples obviously segregated, where tracks will flow from grinding guitar riffing and semi-automatic drum sequences to almost losing all intensity and plunging into the softer melodies. Chevelle, in
Vena Sera, decide it's a bit superfluous to divide the two styles and forge an album far more likable than token radio rock.
To clarify,
Vena Sera isn't so much about combining the slower paced songs into the fast ones as it is extracting aspects from the former to enhance the latter. It doesn't permeate the album either, but in songs like "Paint the Seconds", "I Get It" and most predominantly "Saferwaters", it breeds a tasteful variance from the surrounding heavier tracks.
Thankfully, the hard rock portion of
Vena Sera keeps up with similar results. In case you've been soothingly lulled by "Saferwaters", Pete seeks to stir you back into the action as a quick breath precedes an impassioned "Sick!" at the top of his lungs. Other energetic outings standing above the crowd are the fast paced "Brainiac", "The Fad" and "Straight Jacket Fashion."
Much to my delight,
Vena Sera is brimming with catchy, lively rock tracks that stay diverse enough to avoid running together and falling into the trap that too many mainstream bands do. There's nothing ground breaking, but there's no dire need to be here. It's simply an enjoyable, well-rounded album.
