MetalSucks

“MetalSucks.net! I look at you guys all the time!” These are the first words out of Clint Lowery’s mouth when he greets MetalSucks on his tour bus. Our intrepid reporters quickly burst into semi-nervous laughter before Lowery admits that a statement he released on Dark New Day’s MySpace page was a direct response to an editorial our own Vince Neilstein had written about that band just days prior (he’ll also make reference to at least one other piece Vince has written during the course of our interview).

“I hope no one was pissed,” the surprisingly tall Lowery says apologetically in his thick Georgia drawl before he takes a seat on the nearby couch. It’s kind of a surprising to hear Lowery ask us if we’re cool with something he said, since we’re pretty much accustomed to being the proverbial Assholes. But it illustrates what a genuinely nice dude Lowery is, and how legitimately happy he seems to be back in Sevendust after a three album absence.

The fans are happy, too. Later that night, at the band’s gig at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, they create huge pits as violent as anything you’d ever see at a Hatebreed show, seemingly in Clint’s honor. This loyal and rabid fanbase is the reason Sevendust has survived while so many of their peers have fallen by the wayside. And with Lowery back in the band, it seems that they’re now poised to be more powerful than ever before.

After the jump, read Clint’s thoughts on leaving Dark New Day, returning to Sevendust, and what lies ahead for him and his bandmates.

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Head over to Sevendust’s MySpace page and you’ll find the message “Clint is back! More details to come…” Needless to say, this signals the return of guitarist Clint Lowery to the fold. Presumably this would mean that Sonny Mayo, who replaced Lowery, is out of the group… except both his photo and that of co-guitarist John Connolly are now missing from the “members” listing on the page. So for all we know, Mayo is still in and Connolly is out, or both of ‘em are out and Lowery is back in… we imagine this will get cleared up soon.

I guess this is good news, and I guess it was inevitable that Lowery would someday return to the fold – but the timing strikes me as odd. Sevendust are about to start promoting their new album, Hope and Sorrow, which comes out next week with and which features no contributions whatsoever from Lowery; meanwhile, the band Lowery left Sevendust to form, Dark New Day, just posted a new a song on their own MySpace page over the weekend (ironically titled “Goodbye”). Dark New Day’s MySpace page makes no mention of Lowery quitting the band, and the fact that his brother is also in the band would make you think he’s not gonna leave anytime soon; so is Lowery gonna be in two bands now? Even though they both sound nearly identical?

ANYWAY, if Lowery IS back, this would seem to make the band’s mysterious decision to drop off the Rockstar Energy Mayhem whatever the fuck its called tour even stupider; why reunite, get all that hype, and then waste it on a tour with fucking Saliva?

Hopefully someone will be wise enough to put out an official press release soon and clear up all the confusion. Color us intrigued…

-AR