Vena Sera - Dark Publications

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Customer Reviews: Read 127 more reviews...

2 out of 5 stars

This Type Of Thinking Could Do Chevelle In April 5, 2007
84 out of 142 found this review helpful

Chevelle's 2004 release, This Type Of Thinking Could Do Us In, was a big leap forward for the band. Just the first 6 songs on that disk made it well worth the purchase. The other tracks on that disk...well...it was hard to tell that the track had even changed from track 7 on.

And much to my disappointment, Chevelle has continued the monochromatic sound that began with the 7th track of their 2004 release right through this year's Vena Sera.

There are absolutely no surprises on Vena Sera. The CD sounds exactly how you'd imagine it to sound (if you're familiar with Chevelle). Their last CD had some nice surprises, like Breach Birth, Get Some, The Clincher, Still Running, Vitamin R and maybe even Panic Prone....Sure, those 6 tracks sounded like signature Chevelle, but they had a uniqueness...a special Chevelle pizzazz if you will. That pizzazz went out the window on the back half of their last CD, and there's no sight of it on Vena Sera.

Vena Sera is typical bland Nu Metal. The Nu Metal law against guitar solos is in and catchy tunes like the first 6 on their last disk are out.

A few industry web sights say that guitarist/singer Pete Loeffler is on record as saying that "Many of the tracks on Vena Sera were based off of material from unreleased songs the band had previously recorded." If that's true, what in the world were he and his bandmates Sam Loeffler (drums) and Dean Bernardini (bass--replaces Sam and Pete's brother Joe) thinking?

In other words they might as well have said, "We made a new album based on songs that weren't good enough to put on a CD in the past." Now that type of thinking could really do them in...and might just have done them in.

I'm sure that I'll get "NO" voted to death here, but believe me...I wanted to love this CD. I was looking forward to it. Couldn't wait. Disappointingly, however, I've ripped zero songs from Vena Sera to my media player. Bummer.

4 out of 5 stars

The Best Hard Rock Available April 25, 2007
26 out of 28 found this review helpful

Wow, many of the reviews here have been harsh. Have you listened to the radio lately? There's a lot of crap out there and very few hard rock acts are breaking the top twenty in sales. So we should appreciate Chevelle for being an accessible yet hard-rocking, successful band.

I love the last two albums (especially WWN) and Vena Sera compares favorably. First of all, even though there are some melodic songs here, this cd rocks HARD. Not a ballad to be found and plenty of the crunching riffs that we all love from Chevelle. Yet I don't believe it's just "more of the same." They might be baby steps but the band does branch out a bit without sacrificing its trademark sound. Let's face it, if they lost the chunky guitar, it wouldn't be the same and we wouldn't like the band. I think this album delivers the best of both worlds.

If you like music that ROCKS and/or like Chevelle, this cd is a no-brainer. Get it now and get going. BTW, I just saw the band live for the first time last night and it was an incredible show. It's a lot of sound for three guys and they pull off every song. I also got to chat a bit with Sam (drummer) after the show and he is the nicest, most normal rock dude you've ever met. If you get a chance, don't miss the band in concert.

Embrace the best in hard rock music. Appreciate and enjoy one of the few great rock bands - and rock albums - in these very lean times!

4 out of 5 stars

"Let's Call It Change." April 6, 2007
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

While Chevelle are a band whose ceiling is admittedly low when it comes to experimentation and progress, their fourth album, "Vena Sera" just might prove to be the album that takes them to the next level and show that they have what it takes to stand out from the crowd. Brothers Pete and Sam Loeffler are delivering their first album without their bassist/brother Joe and with newcomer/brother-in-law Dean Bernardini entered into the fold, and the changes can definitely be felt. "Vena Sera" isn't introducing a sound that will alienate fans of previous releases, but rather, sounds more confident, energetic and flat-out better.

Opening with the addictive "Antisaint," which wears it's Tool influence proudly on it's sleeve, "Vena Sera" is, from start to finish, the heaviest and richest album Chevelle have come up with. Combining elements from all three previous albums, this is hands down, their best to date. The goal they set for themselves during the making of This Type Of Thinking Could Do Us In of creating songs that were faster and would sound better performed live has definitely paid-off here. There really aren't any mid-tempo hits to be found that resemble "The Red" or "Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)" and honestly, it's a breath of fresh air. Granted, the previous album was great in it's own right, but showed a band stuck in the mud, beginning to repeat a formula. On this album, however, they sound fresher than ever. Not only are the songs heavier and broader, but Pete has definitely fine-tuned his melodies to perfection. The layered "I Get It" is possibly the most radio-ready of the crowd, and makes good use of Pete's ever improving vocals. Another example would be the way he magnificently caps off the first single, "Well Enough Alone." Much of the lyrical content is obviously dealing with the exit of Joe, who was reportedly unhappy with the band's constant touring schedule, with prime examples being "Braniac" and "Humanoid." "Saturdays" breaks the tradition of closing an album out with a somber, acoustic number, but suits the album well. Chevelle obviously don't want to be pegged as a rock-radio band, writing ballads that are purposely made for the masses. That's not to say that some of these songs couldn't be hits, but you get the impression that the band is putting their best, most honest effort forward.

The album's only true downfall is that the mid-section tends to sag a bit. But when it's sandwiched in between some of the band's best material to date -- "Antisaint," "I Get It," "Braniac" -- it's an easy fault to forgive. If you loved the Chevelle you got used to on the last few albums, you might find this album a bit hard to swallow. But honestly, if they had went and made something on the same level as Wonder What's Next I would personally be very disappointed in them. "Vena Sera" is hardly an instant hit, but it's easily the best thing they have done since Point #1 and it'll be interesting to see if they can pull off putting another foot forward on the next album.

3 out of 5 stars

Decent - Some songs superior and strong, others forgettable July 18, 2007
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

I guess I'm not as enamored with the new release as others, in saying that I'm glad that so many fans have embraced the new album with such acceptance. When I first heard the final song "Saturdays" I was very impressed, I simply loved this song! The lyrics were especially meaningful to me, particularly the verse "Now we all belong...In the Saturdays of our youth" and that coupled with the sonic soundscape and simple yet prophetic songwriting made this a song I really, really enjoyed.

Perhaps I'm being too critical, and that song to me is a 15 on a 10 scale and should not hold a bias for me when judging the rest of the songs on this album. The problem is that some of the songs don't have much of a connection with me, instrumentally or lyrically. At times I enjoy the edgy guitar riffs but for the most part I felt like a lot of these songs just float by instead of reaching out and grabbing me like "Saturdays" did. The song "Well enough Alone" is memorable as its razor sharp opening leads into some emotional singing, and again I am excited in hoping there are more on the album like it.

Then I started giving it time to grow on me, and it did. The song "Humanoid" has some great changeups with regards to varying riffs and also a song that seemed to stick with me at its very first listen. The song "Paint the Seconds" is stoic at times and although the riffs on this particular song seem to be too familiar in connection with other songs on the album, the chorus has a great crescendo to it that makes it different enough to add to the overall driving power it has. The song "I get it" is also very likable and puts the songwriting and vocals a bit more in the forefront, including an infectious beat found throughout.

Chevelle has managed to stay visible on the front lines of new rock bands that have emerged in this decade among the remnants of a "rock" industry that is always trying to find a new identity, but all too often having its poster child fall off a cliff as the assembly line pushes forward, not heeding that the bridge is out ahead. There is still enough talent within these guys to blaze new trails and I look forward to their next release, while continuing to enjoy albums in their past discography.

5 out of 5 stars

Solid Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!! April 3, 2007
6 out of 8 found this review helpful

Chevelle rocks on the new one. Picked it up at a local record store and love it. Rocks a bit harder than the last one,This Type of Thing...
The standouts:
Antisaint,Saferwaters,Well Enough Alone,Staright Jacket Fashion,The Fad,Paint The Seconds,I Get It and Delivery.
Vena Sera is highly recommended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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