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.
Honesty
Sevendust Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm left with nothing but the memory of the way you used to feel
I guess you finally took the deepest cut
I guess the blade on my tongue was just too much
Every word that i said came from my dark side
Now this emptiness is real
[Chorus]
So go and leave me with my last regret
Let me feel the way you left me dead
Too Blind to see
You stole my honesty
So go and leave me with my last regret
Let me feel the way you left me dead
Go and steal away my thoughts of honesty
I think about the time we've lost
I think about the time
The silence could be words
And now the only sound I hear
I say guilty conscience
Screaming out your name
You reach beneath the surface more
[Chorus]
Take back everything I said
A new place for us to begin
Take back everything
Take back everything
Take back everything I said
[Chorus]
The song Honesty by Sevendust seems to be about a relationship that has ended and the pain that comes with it. The opening lines, "It's not supposed to hurt this much but it can never feel the same again, I'm left with nothing but the memory of the way you used to feel" set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer is acknowledging that although they knew the relationship may end, they never expected it to hurt as much as it does. They are left with only memories of the way things used to be, unable to recreate those feelings.
The second verse seems to address the reasons for the breakup. The singer says "Every word that I said came from my dark side, Now this emptiness is real" indicating that their behavior played a role in the breakup. They admit that they took the "deepest cut" and that the "blade on my tongue was just too much". This can be interpreted as them being too harsh or critical in their words and actions towards their partner.
In the chorus, the singer pleads with their ex to leave them with the pain and regrets, but to take away their thoughts of honesty. It seems like they are saying that while they want to feel the pain and process the breakup, they don't want to lose their ability to be honest and authentic in their relationships.
Overall, the lyrics seem to address the complexities of a relationship that has ended. The singer is grappling with the pain of the breakup while also taking responsibility for their actions that may have led to the relationship's demise. They are left wondering how to move forward and balance the pain of the loss with the desire to remain honest and true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not supposed to hurt this much but it can never feel the same again
Although the pain is not supposed to be this intense, everything has changed to a point where nothing will ever feel as it used to.
I'm left with nothing but the memory of the way you used to feel
All that remains is the recollection of how things used to be with you.
I guess you finally took the deepest cut
It appears that you finally inflicted the most profound damage.
I guess the blade on my tongue was just too much
Perhaps I spoke too harshly and hurt you with my words.
Every word that i said came from my dark side
My words were not kind since they originated from my negative emotions.
Now this emptiness is real
The feeling of hollowness inside me is now factual.
So go and leave me with my last regret
Please go and depart, leaving me with only one thing to regret.
Let me feel the way you left me dead
Allow me to experience the same feeling of devastation you caused me.
Too Blind to see
I was unable to perceive the true nature of what was happening.
You stole my honesty
You took away my ability to be straightforward and truthful with you.
Go and steal away my thoughts of honesty
Take away even the mere intention of being honest with you.
I think about the time we've lost
I ponder the many moments we wasted.
I think about the time
I dwell on the time spent together.
The silence could be words
Although there is silence now, it is equivalent to saying many things.
And now the only sound I hear
Currently, the only noise that reverberates around me.
I say guilty conscience
I acknowledge the wrongdoing on my part.
Screaming out your name
Endlessly calling out to you.
Take back everything I said
Please permit me to retract everything I have ever uttered.
A new place for us to begin
Let us find a new starting point where we can come together.
Take back everything
Please permit me to retract all the hurtful, damaging memories.
Take back everything I said
Please permit me to retract everything I have ever uttered.
Let me feel the way you left me dead
Allow me to experience the same feeling of devastation you caused me.
Go and steal away my thoughts of honesty
Take away even the mere intention of being honest with you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BUTCH WALKER, CLINT LOWERY, JOHN CONNOLLY, LA JON WITHERSPOON, MORGAN ROSE, VINCE HORNSBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Charles Rowan
This band is the most versatile and underrated band out there! I tell you Lajon is one the most versatile singers out there. He could sing R and B if he wanted too! The quality of music on the Seasons Album blew me away. Lajon really worked his voice and songwriting on this Album. I remember I was doing a Tour in Afghanistan when this came out. Animosity was good also, but I think Animosity was when Lajon focused more of being singer and then on this album he really excelled! This band is solid on guitars and drums! I am more of a rap head but you got to give it up when you hear good music. Big ups to Lajon he kills it on vocals.
James Henderson
With out question this band saved my life more times then I would like to admit.
Justin Wiley
I'm telling you, you can feel this shit.
Ben DCLXVI
Right on brother!
benny
U ain't kidding man. These guys kept me from giving up too man.
Justin Wiley
Such an underrated song. One of my favorites from sevendust....the band is underrated to be honest
Shogoki
+Justin Wiley Amen.
Bigdsd89
Justin Wiley very underrated band for sure
dodadoda
anyone who isa 7D fan knows there is not one single album that tops the other they write so many badass songs its hard to choose. i have to say the first 3 albums were huge for me. but as a hardcore fan i cant put any album in and enjoy the hell out of it. and i also agree most underrated band ever!!
eckTeck Teckk
This cd is a bible for me.I bought that in 05