Sevendust is a band that has been steadily earning respect in the realm of rock since the release of its self-titled debut in 1995 and the intensity of its road shows and albums that have followed.

On Nov. 9 this year in St. Joseph, Minn., Sevendust demonstrated its true strength, work ethic and commitment to its legion of diehard fans at a time other less-experienced bands would have crumbled. Moments before their show, lead singer Lajon Witherspoon had the rug pulled out from underneath him when he received word that his younger brother Reginald had been shot to death in Nashville, Tenn.

Instead of backing out, Lajon, guitarists John Connelly and Clint Lowery, bassist Vince Hornsby and drummer Morgan Rose went on stage to unleash and deal with their emotions in the way they have been doing for over seven years.

After their emotionally draining performance, the band expectedly cancelled its Nov. 10 show in Madison at the Barrymore Theatre. As an extension of gratitude toward the understanding of the recent situation, Sevendust will be returning to Madison this Sunday with Stereomud, Closure and Cinder in tow in order to give their fans the hit of intense nu metal that they’ve been patiently waiting for.

For those unfamiliar with this dedicated band, Sevendust breaks all of the rules of the current state of rock. With three innovative, hard-hitting gold albums, over 1,000 full-throttle live performances in seven years and the ability to evolve in the rock subcategory they helped to create, this relatively underground group of nu-metal rockers from Atlanta has never given into the temptations of the “TRL” path to disposable stardom.

This formula has been the reason why Sevendust continues to be so committed to what it does best, and that is to hit the stage with a barrage of power, emotion and adrenaline that will invigorate even the most stoic concertgoer.

The experience of Sevendust’s years of hard work can be witnessed in its powerful stage presence. Whether the gig entails playing in sweltering 90-degree-plus temperatures at an outdoor music festival, opening for a nationally recognized rock act or guest performing on a late-night talk show, as soon as these musicians arrive, they deliver both musically and physically.

Whereas most bands today merely entertain their audiences, Sevendust seeks to engage its concertgoers from the first downbeat to the last guitar squeal. Lajon and his army of musicians thrive off the support of their audience and fight to keep the energy going way beyond the point at which most veterans of the mosh pit would have thrown in the towel.

As a word of warning, when the Dust hits the floor, there are no guarantees on the maximum level of intensity that this band will generate from the pit. Hyper-athleticism is an understatement for this band that has been known to incorporate spring ramps on their stage as a means to catapult their members past even the no-fly zone of Ted Nugent.

Injuries are merely part of the show for this band that gives every ounce of its energy to the job it so dearly loves.

Both fueling and counteracting the on-stage emotional intensity of Sevendust is the members’ musical diversity that intelligently weighs between beauty and anger.

With sounds as soothing as the tribute to their fallen comrade James Lynn Strait in “Angel Son” off their latest album Animosity to the eerie effect-laden “Waffle,” from their sophomore release Home to the primal release of social disgust in “Black” off their self-titled debut, the members of Sevendust have mastered the art of eliciting a diverse range of emotions from their listeners.

As evident on Animosity, these seasoned rockers have reached a pinnacle of musical maturity that will probably take the rest of the nu-metal genre half a decade to catch up to.

On their latest single “Live Again,” Lajon and company juxtapose flowing, harmonic choruses with the powerful rhythm blasts that have earned Sevendust its notoriety while simultaneously delivering its more-evident-then-ever personal mantra concerning the importance of fighting on regardless of the setbacks one may encounter in life.

Considering its keen use of thought-provoking lyrics and rightfully earned musical experience, Sevendust could quite possibly hold the crown as the most under-appreciated band in the music scene today.

If you’re a die-hard metal fan, chances are you’ve been prepared for this show for quite a while. On the other hand, if you’ve never been to a hard-rock concert, there is no doubt that this should be your first.

The intimacy of the Barrymore will make nu-metal converts of the uninitiated as they come face to face with a band that is as excited to see its fans and they are to see this intense musical powerhouse known as Sevendust.

Check out Sevendust with Stereomud, Closure and Cinder Sunday, and have your perceptions concerning what constitutes a true rock band shattered forever.

Sevendust will perform at the Barrymore Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.