Seether’s much anticipated ‘Poison The Parish’ has caused excitement between fans for good reason, delivering something different to their 2014 album, ‘Isolate and Medicate’, which was much grungier and less produced. ‘Poison The Parish’ has all the elements that we’ve heard before, but the production is tighter, the tracks are more metal and the guitars are heavier.
‘Start The Fire’ opens with a spooky, whining, distorted guitar which punches out into heavy metal guitars and drums. The track sets us up for the rest of the album with a memorable chorus, lyrics and repetitive guitar hook. Passionate vocals from lead singer Shaun Morgan and the lyrics “Who’s going to start the fire?” towards the end of track create the kind of climax you’d expect from Seether.
It’s hard to choose a favourite from this album but their second track ‘Betray and Degrade’ is high on the list. A tip-toeing guitar hook accompanies Morgan’s vocals and lyrics, drawing you in. “Those voices yelling, and the pain is overwhelming, it’s a fault of mine. And yet I’m guessing that I should be kind of happy, it’s a fault of mine,” is a memorable set of lyrics to open with. Heavy guitars are dominant, and although there’s a lot of repetition, it is sure to be a favourite for many fans.
The music video for ‘Let You Down’ was very well received upon its February release and created even more anticipation and excitement. The track is creative, including the use of phasing for lyrics: “This anticipation, I will only let you down”. The use of amp feedback towards the end of the track adds to the creativity. Seether have delivered an array of songs in ‘Poison The Parish’ that will please anyone. The guitars are heavy and the lyrics are relatable, making for an album that begs to be played many times over.
EMMA GREVESON