Sevendust's 2010 release features the reunion of their original lineup, with guitarist Clint Lowery returning for the first time since 2003, but stylistically it doesn't break with the pattern of their prior discography.

They haven't suddenly gone jazz-rock, or become a grindcore band, or done anything else exciting.

The songs continue to showcase Lajon Witherspoon's soulful vocals atop the metallic guitar work of John Connelly and Lowery, while the rhythm section of drummer Morgan Rose and bassist Vince Hornsby keeps it all thumping along.

The songs plow a plodding, alt-metal/post-grunge groove similar to Creed and many other 1990s-2000s mainstream hard rock bands, including Daughtry, whose frontman made an appearance on Sevendust's 2008 album Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow.

There are a few touches of industrial and nu metal here and there on tracks like "Karma" and "Ride Insane," but even the Linkin Park-isms and Disturbed knockoffs are thoroughly predictable in execution…and you can hear them coming a mile off.

Sevendust seem to be writing and playing with the intention of getting on the radio, but uniqueness, challenge, and genuine creativity seem beyond their capacity.

These songs seem tailor-made for movie soundtrack placement, and that's kinda depressing.