Se7en Sided

I was recently granted the honor to review 'The Silver Lining', the debut record from Se7enSided. If you are looking for a well written, well performed rock record then I urge you to head on over to Itunes or Amazon and pick up this album.

Se7enSided comes to us from the North (ie. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). So, there is a solid chance that a lot of you have yet to hear anything from these guys, But you will. Se7enSided has found the almost perfect formula of writing catchy lyrics that anyone from age 8 to 80 can enjoy and relate too.

There are a couple of songs that stick out to me, including 'It's Over', 'Your Fool', 'New Skin', and 'Right Beside Me'. But don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy every single song on this album and you will too! I find that every song on the album is very easy to relate to in one sense or another... Which, in my opinion, makes an album great. But you be the judge of that.

So I give the album 5 out of 5 stars. I thank Darren for taking the time to speak to me and giving me the opportunity to review their album. Check out their Myspace Page, their Webpage, and their Purevolume, Also for all you cool twitter kids, look them up and follow them.

That's it from me.

Adam (Revolution Review)
- Revolution Review Magizine

Based out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, the band Se7enSided consider themselves a modern rock band. They’re a hard working band that are “determined to go all the way, no matter what.” From multiple practice sessions per week to strong promotional efforts and playing as many live shows as they can, Se7venSided has demonstrated their motivation over and over to do whatever it takes to make it. Their album, “The Silver Lining”, released on May 19, 2009 demonstrates the hard work this band is willing to put into achieving their dreams.

Everyone is always on the lookout for a CD that they can put into their player and enjoy every song, or an album that will please all the listeners around the stereo. Se7enSided’s album, “The Silver Lining”, is such an album. Overall, the band knows their personal strengths and write songs that accentuate their abilities. The vocals can only be described as melodic rock with a bitter edge; the lyrics, vocals, and tone of the music all work together in describing the trials and tribulations that everyone faces at some point in their life. I found myself listening to the song, “Your Fool”, on repeat because who hasn’t been in a bad relationship like the one that is described in this song.

Se7enSided reminds me of early Nickelback, largely due to their songs being as easy for a diverse range of listeners to relate to as ,Nickelback’s, “How You Remind Me”. Se7enSided’s lyrics, riffs, bass, and drum lines will appeal to listeners of any age. The songs are neatly arranged and you never hear any competition between the vocals and the guitar riff being belted out, a balance that is hard to achieve.

When you listen to the album from start to finish, you can tell that Se7enSided took their time with all aspects of the songwriting process, they’ve truly mastered producing music that is easy to relate to. The CD is unified in its alternative rock genre. However, I would like to see a little more variation between songs, as I’m a firm believer in the idea that while a band can stick to a particular genre, it is still nice to see some exploration beyond those defining lines. Without a little experimentation with songwriting, any band faces the danger that all of their songs will begin to sound the same and be verging on predictable.

If you’re looking for an alternative rock album that you can relate to and share with a diverse crowd, then Se7enSided’s, “The Silver Lining’, is worth checking out. Overall, these guys have a lot to bring to the table, as they take their musicianship seriously. Hopefully in future releases, there will be a greater variety in the album tracks. If Se7enSided continues to put in the same amount of effort as they have up until now, there’s no doubt that they’ll develop their own unique sound, produce even stronger lyrics, and become a band to watch out for. - Emurg.com

I hate when you ask someone to name a Canadian rock band and all they can come up with is “Uh… Nickelback?” There are so many good Canadian rock bands out there, both new and old, that have been overshadowed or forgotten because of Nickelback’s success. Se7ensided is one of those bands striving to make an impression on the Canadian rock genre. And, while comparisons to Nickelcrap are inevitable only because of the shared country of origin, the boys of Se7ensided go above and beyond any of the last-minute-slapped-together bull that Chad Kroeger spits out. They actually spend time on their songs.

The Silver Lining (2009) is Se7ensided’s first full-length release: a solid rock album from a group of young Albertans who both play and write well together. While all the tracks on this album will have you air guitar-ing and drumming on your coffee table, there are a few tracks that you’re going to want to put on repeat.

“Your Fool” is not your typical bad relationship song. Forget being slow and whiny, this track is angry and fast from start to finish with passionate vocals, heavy drums and solid guitar riffs.

“Rust” has such well-thought out and creative lyrics you might find yourself a little jealous that you didn’t write them yourself.

Closing track, “Dying in Hollywood” is hard hitting with a metal inspired bass line and chorus reminiscent of System of a Down. It’s definitely a kick ass way to end the album.

The fact that the boys released this album independently and it can still be found at big name music distrubtors like HMV and iTunes demonstrates this Edmonton, Alberta band’s dedication and drive. They even took it upon themselves to generate their own following. Darren Nakonechny (lead vocals/guitar), Graham Bissell (lead guitar/vocals), Chris Hamel (bass) and Aaron Hanley (drums) took to the social media sphere to promote Se7ensided and befriend thousands on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace. Their Myspace page alone as over 70,000 hits and grows everyday.

So far, Se7ensided has been keeping to the Prairies. But, with a new album and a massive online presence, they’re well on their way to becoming a recognizable Canadian rock presence. Let’s hope they expand their touring to include the rest of the country! - Off The Dial

Edmonton band hits town Saturday!
REMO ZACCAGNA – Herald-Tribune staff

The road to Se7enSided's release of their debut album is as unique as the heptagon – the geometrical figure the Edmonton band is named after.

The band's debut effort, The Silver Lining, was released last fall, about five years after their four-song EP.

In the interim, the four-piece group underwent numerous line-up changes, and was unable to settle on a producer or studio to help navigate them through the album recording process.


"We had projected about a year to two years to do it, and probably more so a year or a year and a half," said lead vocalist Darren Nakonechny.

"We dealt with a lot of things as far as different members coming and going and we had a lot of trouble with different studios. We just didn't quite have the jelling process we needed and we required for the album with certain producers from different studios."

Nakonechny, 23, the lone original member left from the band he founded 10 years ago, said things started coming together once they started working with Randor Lin at Turnkey Studios in Edmonton.

And the result of that collaboration – the album – was a silver lining for the band, hence the record's title.

"We killed a lot of momentum that we had made in previous years by taking so long to record this album, and we finally we just kind of took a chance and it blew us away. We worked very well with Randor. He gave us exactly what we wanted out of the album, which no other producer necessarily could."

Things started taking off for the band once the album was released.

Nakonechny, along with lead guitarist Graham Bissell, bass player Jon Squires, and drummer Aaron Hanley, were selected as regional representatives by Edmonton radio station 100.3 The Bear in the 2010 Canadian Radiostar competition for their single, "Rust". They travelled to Toronto last month to compete in the contest at Canadian Music Week.

"We were shooting for a hard rock album that was based upon hits, where basically any of the tunes off album could be single quality, rather than any kind of filler or anything like that. It was all potential singles."

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The silver lining could also mean that despite the difficulties in making their debut record, the follow-up will be an easier process, Nakonechny said.

"Next time we do our next album, we're more situated, we know a little bit more of what we're doing, what we're looking to accomplish.

"We've now developed our sound and developed who we are as a band, so I think the process will go a little bit quicker."

Currently on tour in support of the album, the band will make their second appearance at Better Than Fred's on Saturday, having played there in the fall.

"It was one of our favourite venues to play. It was a really, really good atmosphere, awesome people.

"We met a lot of new people, new fans we made that night. And everyone was very friendly, so I think that's what kind of pulled us to wanting to come back again."

He said he expects the same type of energy this time around.

"They can look forward to a solid rock show with a lot of energy, a lot of crowd interaction and just an exciting live performance that you would never expect from a band that is independent and unsigned at the moment." - Daily Grande Prairie Herald

Music trials play muse for Se7ensided

Decisions, decisions.

They're not always straightforward in the music business--especially if everyone wants to give you an opinion.

Just ask vocalist Darren Nakonechny and his local rockers, Se7ensided. They wanted to go with Rust, a stompy ditty with a bittersweet guitar intro, as the first single from their debut album, The Silver Lining. The studio wizards at Toronto's Joao Carvalho Mastering, who put the finishing touches on the disc, picked Breaking Out, while radio stations and fans suggested Your Fool, a furious tune about unrequited love.


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Font:****"What it came down to is I had a lot of people tell me, 'Your Fool should've been the single, should've been the single,' " says Nakonechny. "So obviously, it must be the single. I personally think Rust is the more radio-friendly song, but it's up to the fans."

Other choices were easier to make --such as Nakonechny's relentless dedication to music. He started his first band in Vegreville more than 10 years ago, then moved to Edmonton to study graphic design and continue his rock 'n' roll dream. What with a revolving door of band members, it took two years to record The Silver Lining with producer Randor Lin.

Dying In Hollywood, a balls-out number from the album, is a reflection of Se7ensided's trials and tribulations.

"It's as if it's our struggle--I want to see my name in lights, I want to be recognized," says Nakonechny. "That song came together within three, four hours in a jam session."

Se7ensided is now trying to make up for lost time. Nakonechny, guitarist Graham Bissell and their new rhythm section--drummer Aaron Hanley and bassist Chris Hamel--are shooting a video for Your Fool, plotting a national tour for 2010, talking to industry executives, and thinking about the group's next single, It's Over. "I think it's perfect second-single material," says Nakonechny. "It's not as heavy, it's got that real thick pop-rock essence to it."

Se7ensided will perform with Prometheus and Letters To Elise on Saturday at the Starlite Room. Tickets are$12 at the door. - Sandra Sperounes, Edmonton Journal