Review by Danny Coleman

Staying true to their hard rocking roots, yet deviating from the path is a good way to sum up Isolate and Medicate; the new 10 track offering from this three piece power trio known as Seether. (Bicycle Music/Concord Music Group).

From the very first cut, “See You at The Bottom,” one can tell where this album is aimed and that is straight at the heart; as in love and relationships.  “If you stay I will feed you to the fire and with a smile I will rape you on the coals. I can’t believe I was bested by a liar ‘cause I believe I was meant for so much more…” Shaun Morgan and the band come out swinging with this in your face, borderline angry, hard hitter that definitely grabs the attention of the listener. Morgan is quoted on Shaun Morgan  the band’s website as saying, “The whole record is a collection of diary entries” and “These songs deal with relationships and life situations.”  Apparently Morgan has no trouble expressing his anger and frustrations on this album and it works masterfully.

Track number two, “Same Damn Life” is the only composition that can be somewhat called into question. The chord pattern/melody is eerily reminiscent to the Little Peggy March hit, “I Will follow Him.” Melody being the operative word here as that’s where the comparison ends because there’s no way Little Peggy would’ve penned lyrics such as, “I never thought that I’d lose this all but you’re the one that needs a fucking intervention…”  The beauty of this tune is that it’s got pop overtones which would do well on mainstream radio as it rocks in the right spots and has a neat break and vocal lead in towards the end.

“Words as Weapons” is a very melodic drum driven tune which features some great production work on the vocals. The distorted guitar blends perfectly with Morgan’s voice; creating a vintage grunge/metal sound that will have even the most stringent listener bobbing their head.

“My Disaster” speaks of separation, anger and the theft of a child; obviously the casualty of a bad break up.  “I believe that the wounds are fatal now you’re really gonna have some fun…” is a mild line from a song that paints a picture quite nicely; very relatable if divorce or a bitter break up has ever entered one’s life. The guitar seems to pound home any emotion that the lyrics may have missed, oh yeah, watch for the cold ending; perhaps a metaphor for the uncivil way the relationship seems to have been terminated.

The fifth track, simply titled, “Crash” features some nice harmonies; whether they be two voices or Morgan double tracked in studio, this one switches nicely between mellow and upbeat with attitude; another catchy one which is suitable for FM Dale Stewart  - H5A1530playlists.

“Suffer It All” is definitely a throwback to the band’s heavier roots. A slight thrash like opening guitar riff stays constant throughout the tune’s body of work punctuated by heavy bass and drum accents which are well timed and placed. This, like most others on the disc, makes great use of a harder and less hard dynamic. This sixth track rocks from start to finish, doing so by taking the listener from a fist pumping intro to melodic mid sections and back again. Well done boys, very well done.

“Watch Me Drown” is perhaps the most commercially marketable offering on the album. Straight forward and somewhat of a toe-tapper; this is a somewhat softer side of Seether.  The song is once again, well produced and has loads of potential as a great single.

“Nobody Praying For Me” is a dark contrast of feel from the remainder of the CD. Keep in mind that it’s not necessarily musically or even lyrically different; it’s just presented in a way that says, “Hey I’m unlike anything else here!” Guaranteed to satisfy even the toughest of headbangers; this one is also a solid winner.John Humphrey

Track number nine, “Keep The Dogs At Bay” is another seemingly heartfelt lyrical expression of confusion and hurt from the imminent death of a relationship or one which is very much, at times in peril. “You never keep me safe from harm, the hurt just keeps on coming on. I’m still trying to figure it out; I’m still finding reasons to believe in better days now. I’m still trying to figure it out, I’m still trying to figure how to keep those dogs at bay now.”  One cannot help but feel the expression of heartache which spews from this like lava from an active volcano. The sting of knowing it is over, yet holding out hope against the odds that there’s even the tiniest chance that same lava may possibly re-ignite a long lost spark is obvious.

The final cut, “Save The Day,” is a marked departure from the rest of the album. This is a very nice acoustic guitar driven and emotionally laden piece with just enough electric effects to give it some oomph and bring it somewhat in line with the rest of the disc. Yet another pick by this reviewer that has mainstream potential but can satisfy the band’s most ardent distortion happy fans.

Overall, Isolate and Medicate is a well-mixed, mastered, produced, written and played sixth full-length studio effort from Seether. A new producer (Brendan O’Brien) and a new direction have served the band well at this juncture in their journey. Released just recently on July 1st, 2014, there’s no reason why this album shouldn’t spawn several singles and/or top ten hits. A nice mix of style and great use of dynamics throughout will make this one a winner for sure…

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Photos by Kimberly Annette ©2014

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Isolate and Medicate is a Great New Approach for Seether
4.6Overall RR Peruser Rating
Reader Rating: (2 Votes)

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