“Fence” by Sevendust
Sevendust is an eye-catching rock band in that its frontman, Lajon Witherspoon, is Black with flowing dreadlocks, which is far from the typical image of a rock singer. Meanwhile the instrumentalists – guitarists Clint Lowery and John Connolly, bassist Vince Homsby and drummer Morgan Rose – are all Caucasian.
And even though theirs may not be a household brand, this act has been around since the late 1990s, having released 13 studio albums to date.
So as it currently stands Sevendust’s 14th studio LP – “Truth Killer”, which is a product of Napalm Records – is in the works. And its lead single, “Fence”, was released on 12 April 2023.
The aforementioned members of the band are credited with writing this song (“Fence”), and its producer is Michael “Elvis” Baskette. Also to note, this track was dropped complete with its own Claymation-style music video, as directed by animator Ollie Jones.
The Lyrics of “Fence”
“Fence” falls into the category of hardcore rock, a genre in which listeners are often tasked with reading in-between the lines and interpreting angst-laden metaphors and allusions in the name of deriving a thesis sentiment.
And in this case, it may be difficult to make sense out of what’s being relayed earlier on. But as the piece progresses, it becomes increasingly apparent that what Lajon and the gang are speaking to is a notion akin to their tolerance level having now reached its tipping point.
What it is that has them so frustrated is not really expounded upon. There are some clues in that regard, such as mention of “abuse” and “lies”, that are revealed along the way. But again, it’s up to the listener to piece together what’s being said. And one plausible conclusion is who they’re raging against being the powers that be.
In other words, the vocalist comes off as if he feels deceived and depressed by the system. But he is also angry with himself for ‘faking it’, which in context reads like Lajon’s way of saying that he, up until this point, went along the flow despite knowing that the scheme of things is flawed.
But now, Witherspoon has been so repressed for “so long” that he’s issuing a call for himself and likeminded individuals “to light the fuse” and stop being suckers for the machine.
So ultimately, even though the wording of “Fence” may be original, the premise being inferred is one we come across more or less commonly as far as rock tracks go. And that is, as implied, the state of society being very much less-than-ideal, yet we, the people being compelled or socialized to accept its false reality, so to speak, nonetheless.
