The Surface Seems So Far
Seether
Seether haven't lost their taste for a heavy guitar and an unhappy thought. The Surface Seems So Far keeps that combination at the centre, with Shaun Morgan moving between controlled singing and a much harsher delivery. The appeal is in how confidently the band can make a familiar approach work.
Judas Mind is a strong opening. The verses hold back enough to give the chorus somewhere to go, and the guitar parts add weight without burying the melody. Morgan's voice has a clear emotional role in the change. The harsher moments feel tied to the song's frustration.
Illusion keeps that momentum going, bringing more atmosphere around the vocal while the guitars stay firm underneath. The first two songs make an effective introduction to the record's balance of mood and force. They're direct enough to catch quickly, with enough detail in the arrangements to hold up afterwards.
Beneath the Veil takes more time before the chorus opens up, and Try to Heal uses a similar tension between slower passages and distorted guitar. The band understand how to make those changes land. There's a good sense of control in the playing, especially when the rhythm shifts beneath a steady vocal line.
Dead on the Vine is one of the more interesting tracks, giving the heavier sound a more immersive setting. Regret also provides a useful change in feeling, showing that the album can be melancholic without needing an acoustic song to make the point.
The limitation is familiarity. Several songs are well made without offering a particularly surprising turn, and the repeated movement from restraint to a large chorus can become easy to predict. The strongest tracks give that structure enough character to justify it; others depend more on the band's established sound.
This is a solid Seether record with a strong opening and some worthwhile detail further in. It won't change anyone's understanding of the band, but it gives their strengths a clear presentation. If heavy, melodic post-grunge is what you're after, there's plenty here that does the job well.
