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The guys in Sevendust are a happy bunch these days as they look to a future that has begun with the release of their new CD, "Next."

But one would never expect such cheeriness by listening to the new CD, which the band will be hyping with its tour appearance Thursday in Springfield.

In fact, "Next" is angry, agitated and in a strictly musical sense, it contains some of the heaviest music the group has ever recorded.

Of course, guitarist John Connolly can provide an easy explanation for the seemingly bi-polar-level contrast between the CD's sentiments and the band's current mood.

Sevendust were simply following the age-old advice to make a record that reflects the situation and state of mind the band members were in at the time.

Connolly candidly explained 2004 was simply the hardest, most tumultuous year the group experienced during their eight-year history.

In sharp contrast, 2005 has been the best of years for Sevendust.

"Each day we wake up and we just smile about being in a band together," he said. "We look around and go 'OK, this is cool'."

For Connolly and his bandmates (singer Lajon Witherspoon, drummer Morgan Rose and bassist Vince Hornsby), 2004 was the year when they had to confront changes on nearly every front in their career.

For some time, signs of trouble had been mounting between the Atlanta-based band and their label, TVT Records as the label pushed Sevendust to soften their sound in hopes of creating more radio-friendly music.

The band managed to escape from its contract, but guitarist Clint Lowery left.

Connolly said he knew Lowery had been working with his brother, bassist Corey Lowery, on a band project called Dark New Day. And while he suspected Lowery would have to leave Sevendust in order to make a go of things in Dark New Day, the timing of Lowery's departure blindsided the group.

Lowery quit in December of 2004 with a half dozen shows remaining on a year-ending tour.

In a sense, the loss of Lowery might have spurred Sevendust forward creatively. Lowery, Connolly and Rose had been the key music writers for the band (with Witherspoon handling much of the lyric writing).

Now Connolly knew his songwriting contributions would be more crucial.

The band knocked out "Next" in a brisk six weeks.

"It was definitely one of the most easy, laid back records we've ever made, just because we were prepared," Connolly said.

"For a second I had to actually really look at the possibility that all of this could go away in a second," Connolly said, reflecting on the mood immediately after Lowery left the group.

"My whole future has a giant question mark over it because it's a godsend to get out of your record deal, but when you don't have any place to go, and you don't have any money and you have to go to the bank and get a loan against your house so that you can make a record that you hope somebody will want, I mean, I think the anger was definitely, it was in there. Like I've told a lot of people before, if you look at the lyrics on the record, it's basically our diary for the last year and a half of our lives."

WHO: Sevendust, with Socialburn, Nonpoint, Wicked Wisdom and ONE.

WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9.

WHERE: The Warehouse, Springfield.

TICKETS: $23 at the door.

ON THE WEB: www.sevendust.com.

Alan Sculley can be reached at alanlastword@;earthlink.net.
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