When I first heard Chevelle's latest release, Vena Sera, I promised myself I wouldn't read anyone else's review first. Wouldn't you know it, though -- when I googled it for the track list, Rolling Stone's review popped up. And they dogged it. Of course, their rabid fans replied saying it was "their best album ever" I dunno. I gotta go with the Stone on this one.

Tool, er... eh... Chevelle is one of those bands whose musical complexity takes a while to appreciate at the best of times, sometimes requiring repeated playings to hear the subtle hooks. Kind of a "creeper" type of music. The first full play of Vena Sera through my stereo, I couldn't hear a single. It was only after listening for a week that the nuances started to seep into my head. After that, I found myself humming songs such as "Antisaint" and "Brainiac" while I was in the produce section of my local market.

I like Chevelle, and I am not ashamed to admit it's primarily because of Pete Loeffler's ability to channel Maynard James Keenan, but this disc is definitely not their best work. It sounds droney, and heavy, and because many of these songs are previously unreleased material, it feels pieced together. I like a couple songs but this is no Wonder What's Next.

Click Below For Track List....