SevVven, a five-member hard rock/metal band based in Lafayette, Louisiana, released a new single “Woe Is Me”, July 26th, 2022, and a music video to accompany it August 23rd. Featuring Myles Clayborne of Saul, this track is full of emotion, and the video is a perfect reflection of the meaning behind the song.
The band includes Josh Valdivieso (vocals); Ant Jones (guitar); Jessie Hoda (guitar); Tanner Istre (bass); and Katt Lee (drums). The band was founded by Ant and Josh in 2020 on a website called BandLab, which is a social platform for artists from all around the world to collaborate on music. Ant posted the first version of “All I Need Is You (Old Version)”, and Josh recorded a vocal take over it that Ant loved. That connection marked the beginning of SevVven. Josh lived in Kansas City, Missouri and Ant in Lafayette, Louisiana at the time. They continued to make new music and started seeing a positive reaction. In 2021, they signed with Curtain Call Records (CCR) and released their single "Falling”, featuring Krizz Kaliko, which peaked on the Billboard Rock Indicator Chart at #18.
Soon after the success from the Billboard charts, SevVven reached out to Kevin Palmer of TRUSTcompany to ask if they could cover their hit “Downfall”, to which he agreed. After the band’s contract ended with CCR, they parted ways and continued working on the EP Signals. It was during this transition that they brought in Jessie and Tanner. For Signals they remade “All I Need Is You” to apply better vocals and guitar takes, as well as a more professional mix and master. That song peaked at #23 on the Billboard Rock Indicator Chart. With these successes and accomplishments, Josh decided to move to Louisiana to take the band to the next level. Since then, SevVven has been working on the next EP, Woe Is Me.
SevVven was building a working relationship with Myles Clayborne of Saul when they asked him to be featured on the song “Woe Is Me”. Upon finishing the song, they knew they had set the bar for a new level of standards for the band. The song was submitted to the DWPresents Blackcraft Unsigned Chart on Twitch and was consistently in the top 10, which now gives the band the opportunity to play at the Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville, KY, September 24th, 2022. Recently SevVven added drummer Katt Lee, and the band’s lineup is now complete.
The lyrics for “Woe Is Me” were written by Ant Jones, Josh Valdivieso, and Myles Clayborne, and the music was written by Jones, Clayborne, Jessie Hoda, and Tanner Istre. “Woe Is Me” is a song about battling inner demons – depression, anxiety, fear, suicidal thoughts, and anger. It was inspired by the personal struggle o f a band member’s child being bullied in school and becoming suicidal because of it and all of the feelings that come with that battle.
“Woe Is Me” opens with heavy guitar, bass and drums and goes right into the melodic singing by Josh Valdivieso. His clean and hard vocals and Myles Clayborne’s combine in perfect harmony on this track. The music is softer in the verses, but picks up in intensity in the chorus. The hard vocals in the breakdown express anger at the situation at hand.
Everyone in the band came up with the video concept, along with Taylor Cooper of Astros Studios. The idea is centered around an alternate reality – the band playing at the same time as their alternate-selves. The lighting and make-up bring it all to life, and it appears as if the band is looking back at their own reflections as they sing and play.
In addition to Louder Than Life, SevVven will be playing at Raidfest 2022, which is being put on by Raid Booking-Promo, October 15th at Park Place in Gonzales, Louisiana, and in the Battle of the Bands Rockin Rumble at Alabama Music Box in Mobile November 18th. There is already more new music on the horizon for SevVven. A song called “Cold” will drop September 22nd, and another track, called “Addicted”, is almost complete. In addition, Myles Clayborne will be producing a future song for the band.
SevVven can be found on Facebook, Instagram, BandsInTown, and the band's website.
<Annie Schlottman>