Theory of a Deadman & Sevendust: The Dead / Seven Tour Support: Return to Dust

About Theory Of A DeadmanTheory Of A Deadman haveblazed their own path as one of the most unapologetic forces in the rockworld today with several multi-platinum hits, albums and sold out shows worldwide. Combining witty,candid songwriting with incontrovertible riffs and melodic choruses, the Canadianband–comprised ofTyler Connolly, Dean Back, Dave Brenner and Joe Dandeneau–has transcended the zeitgeist, persistingas a multi-faceted rock powerhouse.Including hits like the fan favorite “Santa Monica"; the gold-certified “All Or Nothing"; the platinum-certified “Hate My Life” and “Bitch Came Back"; the double-platinum “Not Meant To Be"–the quartet has notched twelve songs in the Top 10 on the BillboardMainstream Rock Chart with four of those being #1s, the set staples “Bad Girlfriend,” “Lowlife,” “HistoryOf Violence” & “Rx (Medicate).” The latter being the biggestsmash of their career thus far, garneringthem a nomination for “Rock Song of the Year” at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. The band has loggedtwo Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200,four Top 5 debuts on Billboard’s Canadian Albums Chart,nominated for five Juno Awards, and has earned high praise from American Songwriter, Billboard, andClassic Rock Magazine and various other publications. Now, the foursome once again deliver a triumphin their latest studio effort, Funeral Songs, Vol 1–the first part of two EPs, undeniably anthemic andundeniably rock and roll including the songs “Barricade” and “Winnebago (Lay Low)” with much more to need.

 

SEVENDUST

Maya Angelou once stated,“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forgethow you made them feel.”For over three decades, Sevendust have made countless fans feel a part of something special. The group’scommunityisn’t passive.Members of the“7D Army”make averyactive commitment to being part ofthisfamily—as evinced bysold-out shows worldwide andinnumerable tattoos of the band’s logo and lyrics. Since 1994, the iconic Atlanta quintet havequietlybuilt a legacywithout parallel,encompassingsales of nearly eight million albums, a GRAMMY®Award nominationfor“Best Metal Performance,”three Top 15 entries on theBillboard200,hundreds of millions of streams, and the fierceloyaltyof millions oflisteners in every corner of the globe.Along the way, they’veshinedas an outlier equallycomfortable on tracks with either members of Deftones, Creed,and PeripheryorXzibit and Daughtry. Speaking to theirlongevity, theynotablynotched their biggest radio successto datewith“Everything”in 2024,nettinga career-highentryon theBillboardMainstream Rock Tracks chart.However, the guysreallydeliveredwith2026’sONE[Napalm Records].Sevendust’s 15thfull-lengthLPforges ten simultaneously lean and gut-punching tracks out ofgargantuan riffs, seismicgrooves, and signature soul-stirring hooks.Rallying together around a commongoalas bandmates and brothers,LajonWitherspoon [vocals], Clint Lowery [lead guitar,backing vocals], John Connolly [leadguitar, backing vocals], VinceHornsby [bass],and Morgan Rose [drums]havecraftedabody of workthat both day-onedevoteesand new fans alikecan hold onto forever.“The fiveoriginalmembers are united as one,”observes John.“We’ve been through a lot.Whilewe solidify who we areas Sevendust, we believe there’s no reason we can’t get tighter and better. We’re very connectedon this album.”“Through this record, we got closer than ever,”agrees Morgan.“There were times when the closeness was definitelytested. When youendurea tough time as a family,everyone’strue colorsshow.When I put the band together, it wasn’tbased on talent. It wasreallyabout how the other guys were as human beings. I wanted to enjoy being aroundeverybody. Thechemistryinitiallybondedus. Onthe new record, we cared about each other so much that it brought usback to the beginning when it was like,‘Man, Ilove the guys next to me’.”“Over thirty years later, the fact that we’re in the best place emotionallytogetheris our legacy,”smiles Clint.“We’vemaintained our relationships with each other and our relationship with the fans. They’re part of thisONEtoo.”Sevendust had kept busy on the road in the wake of2023’sunanimously acclaimedTruth Killer.V13spotlighted it with acover story,Consequencehailed the music as“hard-hitting,”andGuitar Worldmarveled at how,“more than 25 yearsafter releasingtheir gold-selling self-titled debut, Sevendust’s music still has plenty of bite.”Not only did they launch asuccessful co-headline jaunt with Static-X, but theyalsocelebrated the 21stanniversary of the seminal gold-sellingSeasonsas well as theSouthside Double-Wide AcousticLivealbumon the road. In between, they found a pocket of timeto decamp to Lajon’s farmhouse inKansas.They lived together and even took turns cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinnerfor each other.Getting down to business,the musiciansinstinctuallycongregated arounda sharedvision, and theyrootedthesongsin raw riffing.Withwritingcomplete, they ventured to Florida in order to record with producer Michael“Elvis”Baskette [Alter Bridge,Falling In Reverse, Mammoth]once again.“I had a great time doing the programming forTruth Killer, but those elements take a bit of a backseatonONE,”Clintreveals.“There are layers of keys, synths, and strings.They’rejustnot nearly as predominant. Wedefinitelyrelied on theguitar to build textures. Some soundsmayseem like electronic elements, but they aren’t. The intention wasto make amore guitar-based record.” 

“We got back to how we approached our first few records,”Johnposits. “EvenSeasonswas very stripped-down. Therewas no programming at all. We hit the sweet spot here ofwhat we like to call‘Soul Metal’.”“You could feel the brotherhood at the farmhouse,”grins Lajon.“It gave us the passion and energy to come up with somehard-hitting songs. We knew we hadsomething special.Once Elvis got on board, we brought it to life.”Now, thegroup bust downthe door with the single“Is This The Real You?”Its swaggeringfretworkalternately wallopsand gallops in lockstep with a pummelingrhythmanchored bythunderousdrums.The riffrolls and seethes, andthevocals swing from guttural grows into the embrace of ajazz-ychantable chorus,“Your head’s in the clouds. You don’tknow where to find it. Is this the real you?Where you been?”A hummable lead ties the bridge together.“I’m basically asking a person,‘Is this how you want to be portrayed? Is this eternal, oris it just for a little while? Is it amask?’,”Lajonwonders. “I think it’s relatable.”“The song was the perfect habitat for LJ’s vocals,”Clint goes on.“It has a major hook and some R&B DNA.Thematically,you can sum it up as,‘Cut the crap. Be your absolute true yourself: the one who’s not changing just to adapt to otherpeople’.”“It wasas honest, natural, and pure as any song can be,”John elaborates.“If you really want to know what Sevendustsounds like in 2026,‘Is This The Real You?’gives you a good idea.”Echoes of a tensely pickedsingle-note set the tone for“Threshold.”Lajon’s delicate delivery gives way to acontentiousdistortion-boosted refrain,“You want another piece of me, don’t ya? To break apartso you get what you wanted?”“You’ve reached your breaking point,”Lajon comments.“You’re thinking,‘What’s next? Did we make it to the threshold?’It’s exactlyhowI was feeling.”Then, there’s“Unbreakable,”which has all the makings of a clarion call forthe collectiveand a future live staple.Strainsof softpiano slipsinto theundertow of atowering hook punctuated by a promise,“We were meant to beunbreakable...even when we’re at our lowest lows. And if it gets too cold, I’ll never let you go.”“It falls in line with the general message of struggling, leaning on each other, and relying on God or whatever it is thatgives you hopeto make it out,”Clint elaborates.“There will be trials and tests,andwe’re meant to get through them.”“All of us are unbreakable, man,”affirms Lajon.“As crazy as the world is, music has gotten us through everything.”The title track succinctly sums up the record as a whole.Bellowing out ofa maelstrom ofroaring distortion, Lajon’s voicereaches heavenly heights,“None of this matters in the end, we’re not alone in suffering, we all knowwe go down like thesun, all we need is one.”“Clint came to the table with the idea,”Lajon continues.“It tells a story and speaks on us as a band. It’s about how we’vematured, where we’ve been, and who we are now as men.”Ultimately, they are now and always Sevendust.“Sevendustis bigger than us,”Clint leaves off.“There is unity among the people who come to our shows. The way theystill show up for us is incredible. Sevendust is my family. I love my brothers more than ever. We have complete trust, and Ithank Godfor that. We stillcare. We still put the work on. This is still directly from us to you.”“I’ve been emotional 100 times in the last two years at meet-and-greets,”adds Morgan.“We put our music out there,andwe didn’t even realize how much it was helping people.So, our job isjustto continue to helpanybody who needs it.”—Rick FlorinoRETURN TO DUST:Every ending sparks a new beginning. Return to Dust embodies the sound of shedding the weight of the pastwhile embracing the promise oftomorrow. The Los Angeles-based quartet—Matty Bielawski [guitar, vocals],Graham Stanush [bass, vocals], Sebastian Gonzalez [guitar], and London Hudson [drums]—brings a freshperspective to alternative rock. Their music fuses powerful harmonies, fuzz-laden riffs, and seismic grooves,fueled by the raw energy of four Gen Z friends jamming in a garage. What may seem like a traditionalapproach on paper feels like an act of rebellion today, heralding the rise of the next generation of rock musicas evidencedonSpeak Like The Dead-their 2025 debut EP for LAVA/REPUBLIC.“Our name rings true to the sound, lyrics, and heavy imagery,” Matty observes. “You started out as dust and,one day, you will become dust again. So, you’re attempting to find meaning in the chaos of life and death,which is what we try to do through music.”Matty and Graham grew up in the small Texas town of Midlothian, which they both agree“sounds like someplace in The Lord of The Rings.”They cultivated airtight vocal interplay by performing at countless open mics.Running through acoustic, folk, and rock staples with acoustic guitars, they recognized a natural harmonybetween them. During college, a friend introduced them to Los Angeles-based producer Jim Kaufman[Everclear, Danny Worsnop, Night Riots, Helmet]. They blew Kaufman away with a Fleetwood Mac cover, sohe urged them to“drop out of school, write ten songs, and come out and record.”They heeded his advice and wound up sharing a one-bedroom apartment in Inglewood, CA together as aband. Writing at a prolific pace, the guys obsessed over a plethora of inspirations, listening to everyone fromAlice in Chains, Soundgarden, System of a Down, Deftones, Stone Temple Pilots, and Queens of the Stone Ageto The Cure, The Smiths, CageThe Elephant, Hozier, and Panic! at the Disco.

“We have roots in alternative music, but rock is our primary influence,”notes Graham.“We took all of ourpersonal influences to give our unique spin on rock music today”Eventually, the boys rented a house in the suburbs in order to practice in the garage now joined by Sebastian(who randomly knocked on the door one day!).“It was meant to be, because he totally fell into our lap,”laughs Matty.Following a series of local gigs, they served upThe Black RoadEP in 2023 including standout single “Belly Up”which rose through the Active Rock chart. They not only sold out their own EP release show, but they alsoperformed at the pre-show for Queens of the Stone Age’s sold out gig at the Kia Forum. 2024 saw themunveil their independent self-titled full-length debut,Return To Dust, to widespread acclaim.Distorted Soundhailed it as“a grungy, punky thrill ride,”whileRevolverapplauded the group’s“Alice In Chains-inspiredformof modern-day grunge.”Amassingnearly 10 million streams and counting, they lit up the stages at majorfestivals like Inkarceration, Welcome To Rockville, and Sonic Temple and joined rock legends Chevelle andSevendust as support on tour. Signing toLAVA/REPUBLIC and working alongside Kaufman, they assembledwhat would becomeSpeak Like The Dead. The musicians preserved the grit at the heart of their sound andconsciously pushed themselves to progress.“Who we are and the music we make is a constant evolution,” notes Graham. “We don’t ever want to repeatourselves.”“Touring solidified us as a live band,” adds Sebastian. “We learned how we work together best on stage.Now, we can jam and translate theenergy into what comes out in the studio.”The lead single “Shine” sets the tone for the new era. A thick riff and a swaggering beat hold the song’squaking groove in place. This momentum swells on the chantable chorus,“Try to make it right, so lay medown under golden skies...and shine,”breaking like a wave on wah-wah pedal-fueled solo.“Shine felt like the perfect way to segway into a new series of stories summarized by a single song aboutshedding your skin and hoping for something more.”“When itcomes to songs, we have different takeaways,” Graham goes on. “For me, it’s surrendering yourselfto those heavy times in life when you’re feeling down and negative. There’s almost a bit of solace in lettingthem pass by.”A call-and-response between guitars mirrors the dynamics of the vocals on “Bored.” Psychedelically spundistorted echoes bleed into a hypnotically haunting hook,“If you could find a way to be something more,more than bored.”“There’s a canal behind our buddy’s apartment,” Matty sets the scene. “We went under one of theoverpasses, and it was the perfect place to scream without annoying anyone.‘Bored’flowed out. For asexciting and happy as the song sounded, it was just as depressive lyrically. The nature of our band is relatedto mortality and the concept that what has been before will be begin. You will become dust and will return.We’re talking about eternity and the cycle of life, so take a risk and do what you want."

Apalm-muted crunch kickstarts “Summer Rain” as the verse’s screams drift into the embrace of a menacinglyinfectious refrain,“In the summer rain...as you split the day turn the black into light.”“I imagine this dark eclipse happening where it’s like the world is ending,” Graham elaborates. “The day splitsin half, the sky is falling, and flowers die. It’s an epic and atmospheric moment.”With more music on the horizon, you can expect many more of those moments from Return To Dust.“When people listen to our music, I want them to think, ‘Wow, you guys put my exact feelings into words,’”Matty leaves off. “It’s a whole inclusive experience; I think that’s what makes this band so different. We reallyfocus on our lyrics, and they all mean something. With each release, we always keep moving forward.”“This music will always come from a real place,” Graham concludes. “We want to be a mouthpiece for whatour generation is going through.