Review: Seether – Poison the Parish
Artist: Seether
Album: Poison the Parish
Rating: 9.5/10
With many bands in the active rock genre taking a safer approach to their songwriting, bands like Seether continue to push their creative envelopes. Hailing from South Africa, originally under the name Saron Gas, almost three decades later, they’re still doing the unthinkable. Their breakthrough came with the worldwide success of their hit song “Broken” which featured Amy Lee (Evanescence) which got their momentum going… and it’s yet to stop! With the release of their seventh studio album, Poison the Parish, the band heads back to their roots. Darkly-themed, heavy and aggressive rock will crawl under your skin, infecting every cell within. Breaking free from the bonds of Bicycle Records who, according to Morgan “wanted us to be more radio-friendly,” they can finally unleash the beast that’s dwelled within.
Evident from the lead single, “Let You Down” the band has rekindled that fire that put them on the map in the first place. As lead vocalist/guitarist Shaun Morgan leads in with a low, gritty riff, his unmistakable vocals pierce through your soul like the dagger to a sacrifice. For fans of the band who have been looking forward to the heavier side of Seether returning, “Let You Down” is a welcome return to form. The black-and-white video for the track shows the band involved in a cult-like ritual, with Morgan being buried alive by clown-like figures.
The album, itself, opens up with “Stoke the Fire” wasting no time in showing you how excited they are to return to a heavier sound. Heavy, distorted guitar riffs make up the bulk of this track and it seeks to give you a precursor of what’s to come. This is also one of the first times we’ve heard Morgan scream, in recent years… there were some really aggressive bits to their last album, Isolate + Medicate, but this is where he really let his inner animal out.
If you’re looking for something on the softer side, “I’ll Survive,” with it’s largely acoustic-led and ballad-like demeanor will appeal to you. This track definitely shows that they can still write some of the most heartfelt, meaningful songs in that regard.
This album has a nice ebb-and-flow to it, building up within each track, as well as the record as a whole. Just as atmospheric and beautiful, as it is dark and visceral. In terms of how the album is presented, the arrangement of these songs and the order in which they’re put, couldn’t have been done more perfectly. Rather than shove a bunch of songs (or types of songs) down the listener’s throat, they’ve found a way to bring some theatricality to it… creating a listening experience, rather than just a casual listen. Even the most casual listener of the band will easily find themselves immersed deep in this album.
Seether, much like many bands these days, has proven that the DIY-approach is the better method for them, as they have been shed from the shackles that stifled their creativity in past releases. Poison the Parish is Seether at their best and offers something to fans of all facets of rock. The band is currently on the Poison the Parish world tour, which also features Kaleido, Letters From the Fire, Through Fire and Big Story, also featuring Sevendust’s Clint Lowery who joined the fold shortly prior. The tour takes a short break after June 11th, picking back up in July (which also holds the fifth-annual Rise Above Fest).
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Poison the Parish (World Tour):
May 25 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall** (buy tickets)
May 27 – Omaha, NE – Sokol Auditorium**(buy tickets)
May 28 – Pryor, OK – Rocklahoma*
Jun. 01 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Concert House*** (buy tickets)
Jun. 02 – Portland, OR – RoZone Waterfront Stage – KFBW Radio Show*
Jun. 03 – Seattle, WA – 2nd Annual Crazy Beverage Bash at Showbox SoDo*
Jun. 05 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore*** (buy tickets)
Jun. 06 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues*** (buy tickets)
Jun. 07 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre*** (buy tickets)
Jun. 10 – Saint Louis, MO -The Pageant*** (buy tickets)
Jun. 11 – South Bend, IN – The Bear’s Big Growl Six*
Jul. 15 – Bridgeview, IL – Chicago Open Air at Toyota Park*
Jul. 16 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre^ (buy tickets)
Jul. 18 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s^ (buy tickets)
Jul. 19 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues ^ (buy tickets)
Jul. 22 – Bangor, ME – Rise Above Fest at Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion*
Jul. 24 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage^ (buy tickets)
Jul. 25 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage^ (buy tickets)
Jul. 27 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore^ (buy tickets)
Jul. 29 – North Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 01 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 02 – Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 04 – Saint Paul, MN – The Myth^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 05 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 06 – Peoria, IL – Limelight Eventplex^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 08 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 09 – Sioux Falls, SD – The District^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 11 – Glendive, MT – Dawson County Fairgrounds ^
Aug. 14 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 16 – Wichita, KS – The Cotillion Ballroom^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 17 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 19 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theatre^ (buy tickets)
Aug. 20 – Houston, TX – House of Blues^ (buy tickets)
* Festival date
** Featuring LETTERS FROM THE FIRE + KALEIDO
*** Featuring THROUGH FIRE + KALEIDO
^ Featuring LETTERS FROM THE FIRE + BIG STORY
