Family comes first for metal vets Sevendust [ tickets ]. Lead singer Lajon Witherspoon and drummer Morgan Rose brought their families to the recording studio when they were working on the group's forthcoming release, "Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow," and the band also invited a handful of other folks it considers family: Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti and singer Myles Kennedy, as well as American Idol vet Chris Daughtry [ tickets ].

"It's not a friend thing; it's a family thing," Witherspoon said during an interview with LiveDaily. "We've always wanted to do something with them and now we had the opportunity. We have our own label and really make all the decisions. We were able to say to Mark and Myles, 'Hey, we talked about this forever. How would you guys like to be part of it?' That's always going to happen in the future."

Kennedy and former Creed guitarist Tremonti appear on the songs "Hope" and "Sorrow." Witherspoon admitted that he didn't want to rehash the genesis of Sevendust's union with the comparatively lighter Alter Bridge, but felt it was important to do so anyway.

"A lot of people, as far as I'm concerned, in our genre of music, like to pigeonhole and say, 'You shouldn't be doing that,'" Witherspoon said. "We met Alter Bridge because of Creed. Creed was one of the only bands in the beginning of our career who took us out there and put us under their wings. The only member that's different from Alter Bridge is [Creed singer] Scott Stapp. Now, with Alter Bridge, you have Myles the singer. So we've always been family."

On the morning of the interview with LiveDaily, Witherspoon received a package from UPS. Much to his surprise, it was a plaque commemorating sales of Chris Daughtry's album.

"Everything here comes full circle," Witherspoon said. "He spent $100 to see Sevendust open for Creed. He was in the front row screaming. It was funny how we all met. When he was on "American Idol," I felt a connection and felt he was an incredible artist. I said, 'One day we're going to meet.' We were able to send messages back and forth between his camp and my camp."

Two years ago, Sevendust and Daughtry met when both of them were scheduled to play a festival. Excited, Rose woke up Witherspoon with the news that Daughtry's bus was parked next to Sevendust's.

"We were like schoolgirls," Witherspoon said with a laugh. "We've been waiting and talking and admiring. I love the fact that he's able to take the vehicle of 'American Idol' and do it because he's always had the talent."

That led to Daughtry's guest spot on "Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow," due in stores April 1. The band was in the studio and Rose suggested Daughtry perform on the track "The Past." Witherspoon had the same idea.

"His bus pulled up and he came in by himself with his assistant," Witherspoon said. "My family was there and Morgan's family. It was not work. It was us boys hanging out, eating pizza, drinking beer, and singing music and writing songs. He came in and laid it down and it was beautiful. It was exciting to finally work with other artists again."

"Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow" is going to be released on Sevendust's boutique label, 7Bros./Asylum (in conjunction with Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group). The band has a well-documented history of troubles with major and independent labels. "Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow" reflects those issues.

"'Chapter VII' is our seventh album. Our lives are an open book. My meaning behind 'Hope and Sorrow'--and I think I can speak for everyone--it definitely tells the story of Sevendust; the sorrow we've gone through as far as losing, missing, gaining. But there's always hope. I always feel there's a light at the end of the tunnel. So, in a sense, it's tapping on all the emotions."

After the interview, Sevendust announced a spring tour that kicks off in Port St. Lucie, FL on April 9. Saliva, Neverset and Overscene will be on board for the first leg, which runs through May 3 in South Bend, IN. Black Stone Cherry will join the tour for a second batch of shows that run from May 3-17, details for which will be announced Friday.