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 thirteen studio albums, earned additional charting success and gold sales certifications. Their eighth studio album, titled Cold Day Memory was released on April 20, 2010. More recent studio albums include: Black Out the Sun, released on March 26, 2013, Time Travelers & Bonfires, released on April 15, 2014, Kill the Flaw, released on October 2, 2015, All I See Is War, released on May 11, 2018 and Blood & Stone, released on October 23, 2020
They also re-released their self-titled debut album as Sevendust: Definitive Edition which contains five new tracks and a DVD.
Chop
Sevendust Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Disgrace is yet to find me but I see it every day
Damn all your little voices
My demons whisper a prayer for you
God help me, I am moving mountains
To wash the gun and get away again
Look up to the blackened sky, decide when it's time to feed it
I see this heading for disaster
Shadows coming at my dreaming
Why can't I feel it?
I see this opened up the bleeding
Cut the part that keeps me breathing
But I'm still feeling
What do you say
To the ghosts that follow
Do you pray for sweet escape?
What remains of the life you waste
And did you live another day?
Damn all your little voices
My kingdoms whisper a prayer for you
God help me and now you're moving mountains
To wash the blood on the gun away again
Look up to the blackened sky, decide when it's time to feed it
I see this heading for disaster
Shadows coming at my dreaming
Why can't I feel it?
I see this opened up the bleeding
Cut the part that keeps me breathing
But I'm still feeling
I see this heading for disaster
Shadows coming at my dreaming
Why can't I feel it?
I see this opened up the bleeding
Cut the part that keeps me breathing
But I'm still feeling
The lyrics to Sevendust's song Chop paint a picture of someone who is struggling with their inner demons and the darkness within. The first two lines set the tone for the song, with the singer acknowledging that they are facing a difficult journey ahead. They are constantly plagued by their own sense of disgrace, even though it has yet to catch up with them.
The chorus of the song is a defiant statement against the negative voices that are haunting the singer. They reject these voices and instead focus on their own demons, which are a more personal and intimate part of their struggle. The lyrics "my kingdoms whisper a prayer for you" suggest that the singer has built their own inner world, a place of solace and safety away from the chaos of the outside world.
The bridge of the song is a cry for help. The singer is clearly in pain and is desperately searching for some kind of release. They are still feeling the pain of their struggle, even though they have tried to cut out the part of themselves that is causing it. The final line, "but I'm still feeling", is a raw and honest admission of the singer's ongoing struggle.
Overall, Chop is a song about the difficult journey of overcoming one's inner demons. The lyrics are raw and honest, and the music is powerful and evocative.
Line by Line Meaning
On my way to a dark horizon, struggle is my name
I am facing a difficult journey towards an uncertain future and struggle seems to be a constant companion throughout.
Disgrace is yet to find me but I see it every day
Though I haven't done anything of a shameful nature, I am aware that it is only a matter of time before I fall from grace.
Damn all your little voices
I am frustrated with the negative opinions or influences of others that keep bringing me down.
My demons whisper a prayer for you
The source of my personal struggles or inner turmoil sympathizes with the people I am mad at.
God help me, I am moving mountains
I am up against an enormous task or obstacle that requires divine intervention or supernatural strength.
To wash the gun and get away again
I need to clean up the evidence of something violent or tragic that happened, and escape from the consequences for a while.
Look up to the blackened sky, decide when it's time to feed it
I am contemplating something drastic or destructive, and waiting for a sign or opportunity to execute it.
I see this heading for disaster
I am aware that my situation or plan is likely to fail or cause harm in the end.
Shadows coming at my dreaming
I am experiencing nightmares, or the premonition of impending danger or doom.
Why can't I feel it?
I am numb or insensitive to the risks or consequences of my actions, or the emotions of others.
I see this opened up the bleeding
I acknowledge that my past or current actions have caused harm or pain to others, and it's too late to undo it.
Cut the part that keeps me breathing
I am ready to let go of the crucial or vital aspect of my life, or my own survival, because I am tired of living.
But I'm still feeling
Despite my desire to escape or end my suffering, I am unable to ignore or erase the emotions and experiences that make me human.
What do you say to the ghosts that follow
I am haunted by the memory or influence of people from my past, and I am unsure how to confront or appease them.
Do you pray for sweet escape?
I am considering a way to end my pain, but I am not sure if it will truly relieve me or make matters worse.
What remains of the life you waste
I am reflecting on the meaning and value of my existence, and whether it has been a worthwhile or meaningful journey.
And did you live another day?
I am uncertain if I will survive or overcome my current crisis, or if it will be the end of me.
My kingdoms whisper a prayer for you
The people or communities I belong to are hoping or wishing for your well-being, despite our differences or conflicts.
God help me and now you're moving mountains
I am accepting or requesting divine assistance, and acknowledging that even my nemesis or adversary is capable of great achievements or feats.
To wash the blood on the gun away again
I need to cover up or deny my involvement in a violent or criminal act, and repeat the cycle of deceit or violence.
Look up to the blackened sky, decide when it's time to feed it
I am still contemplating a destructive or desperate course of action, and waiting for the right moment to execute it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Clint Lowery, John Connolly, Lajon Witherspoon, Morgan Rose, Vinnie Hornsby
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind