 | 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 44 Lists
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| Summary: Chevelle's magnum opus occurs right after they undergo the loss of a brother. You just can't make this kind of story up, "Vena Sera" is for real. |
3 of 3 thought this review was well written
Chevelle is a band that has been unfairly forgotten about through the years. While they gave a slightly above average effort on their debut album “Point #1”, their success and popularity truly sprouted after the release of their second album “Wonder What’s Next”. This album gave hard rock fans such memorable singles such as “The Red”, “Send the Pain Below”, and “Comfortable Liar” that are still loved today by loyal fans and even fans of hard rock alike. After this came the surprisingly quiet and unmentioned release of “This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)” of which the only track that really grew wings and made it to radio and television stations was “The Clincher”, despite the album containing some of their strongest and best tracks to date such as “Get Some”, “Still Running”, and “Emotional Drought”. And despite the fact that the title for that album is a pain in the rear to type (I avoided using the other word for obvious reasons), I would consider it a unique rock album that evolved their sound from their previous one.
I found out about this band after the release of “Vena Sera”. However, what I found interesting when reading about the band was that in between This “Type of Thinking” and “Vena Sera”, Pete (vocals, guitar) and Sam Loeffler (drums) are rumoured to have fired their younger brother Joe. Regardless of why Joe left the band, they were temporarily without a bassist and forced to hunt for a new one. They found one in their brother-in-law Dean Bernardini, who gets his debut with this album. Upon discovering this, I listened to this album again and really began to notice the major differences between “Vena Sera” and the older albums. The sound is much more modern and crisp but equally as heavy with the new replacement bassist. Of course, the newer sound is also attributed to Pete’s visions and dazzling writing as well, as he is the core of the band.
I was never given a chance to be sceptical about how the band would do with the switch of members, and so this album was never once in my mind a failure of any kind, quite the opposite. I stood back one day and realized that there isn’t a single track on this album that weakens the continuous surge of energy that Pete wanted to maintain through the entire album. The album is supposed aptly named “Vena Sera” (meaning “vein liquid” or “blood”) to symbolize the amount of blood and sweat the members put into the album. They deliver punch after punch of crushing, crunchy, and pulsating hard rock.
The opening two tracks, “Antisaint” and “Brainiac” function exactly as they should by exploding into the ears of listeners with such urgency. “Brainiac”, a song that is rumoured to be about the previously discussed departure of Joe Loeffler, has an unmatched intensity compared to the other tracks complemented by a powerful chorus and bass from Dean that perfectly blends both the anger and disappointment they wish to portray as well as mind-blowing guitar that I come to expect from this band. Pete also delivers his signature cryptic lyricism to deal a harsh blow: “We know him as one cell, should have combined to save brains” and “how about I teach him to crawl?”
Another notable track is “Saferwaters”, a song about a man who alienates himself from the human race because of the hatred he feels about how fake they have become, is a milestone for Chevelle. Sam Loeffler reaches a new level of skill as for once the drumming outdoes the guitar to the point where it becomes one of the highlights of the album. I know through watching an interview of Sam that this is his favourite song they have created, a fact that fails to surprise me.
The middle section of the album continues what was started. In particular, the first single “Well Enough Alone” delivers an earth-shattering scream that leads into a crunchy and heavy guitar riff. The chorus becomes one of the catchiest parts of the album. “Humanoid” has another notable guitar riff, and serves as the “mosh-pit” style song that almost every Chevelle album has (see the songs Forfeit and Get Some). I find humour in the fact that while Chevelle does structure their albums similarly with tracks that serve the same purposes; they fail to bore their fans at any point.
The final two tracks on the album are by far the strongest, if it’s possible at this point to have one given the strength of every track. “I Get It” is a song directed towards those who are too afraid to chase their dreams because of the critical reception they receive from their peers. Pete's voice is very effective in the chorus delivering the classic Chevelle line: “You’re right, I get it, it all makes sense you’re the perfect person, so right, so wrong, let’s all live in your imaginary life”. Its music style is complicated and fierce to the point where they weren’t even able to play it live for many months, a problem I am happy to report they have fixed as a concert without that song would be disappointing.
The final track “Saturdays” deserves a special spot in this review for many reasons. It remains my favourite song even after the latest release of “Sci-Fi Crimes”, their newest album. They have always tried to end albums on a softer note in the past, and while Saturdays is not technically a “soft” song, it is more tamed and heartfelt when delivered compared to the rest of the album. Sure, it speaks stronger to myself than most, but lines like “Now we all belong in the Saturdays of our youth, cause we all have lost, so don’t feel so aliened” and “We’ve lost the minds we came to know, like cattle out in the cold” are some of the best lyrics Chevelle has written to date.
Vena Sera presented many milestones in both the evolution of the band, and what I look for in music. It shifted me from being too focused on sound and more towards all aspects of the song such as lyrics and drums. It is my favourite album and I recommend it to anyone who still desires that extra punch in their music, as well as hard rock lovers of all kinds. My congratulations go out to this band for this accomplishment.
Recommended Songs:
Brainiac
Saferwaters
Humanoid
I Get It
Saturdays
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
fromtheinside is either going to love you, or hate you.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Whoa a 5? lolmuch. Oh and while it was a decent review stop talking about yourself and it'd be way better. Touch on the greater feeling that people would get from this album and not yourself, just some advice. Keep reviewing.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
"I was never given a chance to be sceptical about how the band would do with the switch of members, and so this album was never once in my mind a failure of any kind, quite the opposite."
Skeptical is spelled wrong. I guess you could argue its spelling, but since this is a Chevelle review, you might as well spell it like the track from Point #1.
Good review though.
I could almost agree with its standing as the top Chevelle album but Wonder What's Next is just too good.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
this is a very very good review. when i first picked up Vena Cera, i thought it was one of the best albums i had ever listened to. "Humanoid" used to play relentlessly in my head.
one small complaint about the review came from this line,
"I found out about this band after the release of “Vena Sera”, the album I’ll be focusing on in this review."
this is pretty much one of those, "no shit you'll be focusing on that album" moments. don't state the obvious unless this is an essay you're getting ready to turn in to your liberal arts professor
Digging: Andrew Jackson Jihad - Knife Man Digging: Andrew Jackson Jihad - Knife Man | | | Album Rating: 5
Niiiiiiice!!! I agree with the recommended songs as well.
| | | Album Rating: 3
I think this album has enough reviews lol
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
I think tribes will come stomping in here and say 4/5.
Digging: Epheles - Je Suis Autrefois Digging: Epheles - Je Suis Autrefois | | | Album Rating: 2.5
i saw these guys live with staind and shinedown and halestorm. i'm sorry to say, but they are NOT good.
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
i saw these guys live with staind and shinedown and halestorm. i'm sorry to say, but they are NOT good.
| | | Album Rating: 3
Yeah, I tried them, REALLY boring...
Digging: Buckethead - It's Alive | | | Album Rating: 4.5
ties i have almost no hope left for you.
but omg, when did you write these chevelle review, i can't express my newfound love for you enuf.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Chevelle's best album.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
hahahahahahahahahahaha.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Wha... why are you laughing? You know what, who cares
hahahahahahahahaha
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
because you clearly haven't heard WWN. easily and indisputably their best.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I heard WWN quite a few times and still think Vena Sera is better. What's wrong with me?!
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
i have no idea.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
We disagree about everything, don't we
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
we do?
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Oh the irony
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