Track Listing

1. Like Suicide
2. Fake It
3. Breakdown
4. Fmlyhm
5. Fallen
6. Rise Above This
7. No Jesus Christ
8. Six Gun Quota
9. Walk Away From The Sun
10. Eyes Of The Devil
11. Don't Believe
12. Waste

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13183 in Music
• Released on: 2008-06-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: CD

CD Description
With 2007's FINDING BEAUTY IN NEGATIVE SPACES, the Los Angeles-based heavy-rock band Seether tones down the dark mood of KARMA & EFFECT in favor of a more energetic, straight-ahead sound. Reinvigorated by a stint in rehab, South African-born vocalist/guitarist Shaun Morgan, whose singing often recalls that of Metallica's James Hetfield, has an enthusiastic intensity that's evident on the swaggering "Fake It" and theurgent "6 Gun Quota", making for one of Seether's most lively albums.

Customer Reviews

Takes time to find the beauty
Seether return with their third studio album, following on from the 2002 release Disclaimer (and the two Disclaimer II re-releases a couple of years later) and the 2005 follow-up Karma & Effect. They also return a man down - former guitarist Pat Callahan is no longer with the band (the official date of his depature was 14th June 2006, having been a full-time member of the band since 2004, before which he spent a long stint as their tour guitarist).

Despite Seether being a much-maligned band in some corners of the music industry, I have always liked their music. I wouldn't say Seether have ever been a particularly sophisticated or overly technical band because they're not. But I think what really shines with the band is the angst that radiates through their songs. "Gasoline", taken from the Disclaimer/Disclaimer II albums, is still one of my most listened to rock tracks some 5 years on. So can Seether replicate this for their new album? The answer isn't quite a resounding yes - it's a somewhat mixed bag in places - but overall the band just about manage to pull it off, as I shall explain.

Seether always kick off an album with a beast of a track - for example "Gasoline" on Disclaimer/Disclaimer II and "Because Of Me" on Karma & Effect are two songs that contain monster-sized, angst-ridden riffs and vocals. Seether do the same on this album with the opening track "Like Suicide" - I just love the heavy riff that kicks in at about the minute mark. It's a perfect way to kick off the album and is easily one of the best songs Seether have ever done. Let's run through the tracks one by one:

1. "Like Suicide" - best track on the album by a mile; it's moody, angry and has the best riff on the entire album (just love the pounding drums that accompany the monster riff, which comes just after the choruses). This kind of song is what Seether do best, fantastic track 10/10

2. "Fake It" - the first single, which I wasn't too keen on at first but it's really grown on me. Like the music video to this 8/10

3. "Breakdown" - quite a moody and emotive track; one of the slower tracks on here but with a big soaring chorus 9/10

4. "FMLYHM" - alright track; very middle of the road Seether track (heavy but not as heavy as their older stuff) 6/10

5. "Fallen" - not too sure on this track; very middle of the road again but just don't find it particulalrly exciting, even though it's quite a rocky song 5/10

6. "Rise Above This" - probably the most radio-friendly track on here; almost a song to cruise to. Very optimistic-sounding song, which is ironic because it's about Shaun's brother Eugene, in advance of his tragic death last August. For the feel of this song, think electric guitars mixed with an acoustic mid-tempo sound. 9/10

7. "No Jesus Christ" - a seven minute epic that takes almost 2 minutes before the main guitar riff kicks in. I'm not overly keen on this track - just don't think there is quite enough variety to warrant such a duration as seven minutes 6/10

8. "6 Gun Quota" - reasonable rock track but not the best Seether have to offer. The sound on this song reminds me of Nickelback, particularly the chorus 7/10

9. "Walk Away From The Sun" - quite a unique sounding song on the album. Acoustic to start with then the mid-section adds a bit of distortion, leading into probably the best little guitar solo I have heard Seether do (they don't do very many at all). This song builds up to a decent climax. A brilliantly haunting track 10/10

10. "Eyes Of The Devil" - not too keen on this track, just doesn't hold my interest 5/10

11. "Don't Believe" - dark sounding track but not much variation to it 5/10

12. "Waste" - the closing track. I think this song is quite unique amongst Seether's other tracks. It has a soaring chorus but the overall sound is different to what Seether normally do 6/10

Overall, this is a reasonable album - at first I thought this was the weakest album yet but after sveral listens it has really grown on me. I had exactly the same reaction to Karma & Effect when that was released and yet I still find time to listen to that album because I gradually grew very fond of it. I feel the same is happening with Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces.

With each and every studio album Seether have released, they have continuosly streamlined their sound and there is a lot less screaming on this album than previous releases - the opening track, "Like Suicide", contains the most violent screams to be found on this album. In the context of this song I think the screaming section works but generally speaking I'm glad Seether don't put too many fits of screaming into their songs any more - it was my main criticsm on an otherwise excellent Disclaimer II. On the flip-side, don't go expecting anything as gentle as "Broken" on here because there is nothing as mellow as that on this album.

To sum up, I think if you like the previous albums you will enjoy Finding Beauty In Negatve Spaces. The sounds doesn't deviate too much from what they've done before - it's recognisably Seether but they have thrown in a few new sounds (listen out for the backing piano-sounding sectons on a couple of tracks - only very brief and subtle so might be hard to spot). This is a gentle progression as opposed to anything distinctly new but it's different enough to feel fresh yet will be instantly recongnisable to existing fans.

Overall 4/5

Fantastic.
Great album as a whole - with many strong songs:

1. Like Suicide - Great! (9/10)
2. Fake It - Classic (10/10)
3. Breakdown - Different but Strong (8/10)
4. FMLYHM - Catchy and Fun (9/10)
5. Fallen - Heavy, classic Seether. (8/10)
6. Rise Above This - Cool song (8/10)
7. No Jesus Christ - Brilliant. (9/10)
8. 6 Gun Quota - Equally strong song (9/10)
9. Walk Away From the Sun - Different style but shows seether can do no wrong! (9/10)
10. Eyes of the Devil - New angle, but great. (8/10)
11. Don't Believe -Heavy, good song.
12. Waste - Slower, relaxed tune. (7/10).

All in all a very good album.

If you like rock music of a heavier caliber (i.e. with a bit of attutude) then buy this album. It's worth every penny.

...post grunge survivors angry and bitter...
I was mildly surprised to find that Seether were still on the go. After all, most of the other big rock, post-grunge bands have long gone the way of the dodo and the pig-footed bandicoot , with the honourable exception of Nickelback who seemed to have evolved some kind of immune system / defense shield that repels all comers.

But here come the South African metal band with their sixth-ish album (depends whether you count their debut as Saron Gas or, indeed, their rereleased debut), which crashed into the Billboard Charts at number 9, on the back of an infuriatingly catchy single, in the shape of "Fake It". Now the album gets a UK release, in advance of some Summer shows.

Now, casual passers by may need reminding as to who exactly Seether are, as they became better known for the tabloid exploits of main man Shaun Morgan, than they did for their music. Naturally, I'll repeat it all again! Their breakthrough hit was a re-recorded version of "Broken" from their debut Disclaimer which appeared on the soundtrack to the lamentable movie The Punisher. The new version turned the acoustic lament into a goth / grunge crossover with Amy Lee from Evanescence appearing on vocals. Morgan and Lee then embarked upon a romance which ended with the Seether man in rehab, Evanescence having a huge hit called "Call Me When You're Sober" and guitarist Pat Callahan leaving the band.

But that was then, and this is now. And now seems to involve the three piece Seether releasing the finest album of their career. "Fake It" is an obvious highlight, one designed for radio, with an irresistible melody and chorus. Follow up single "Rise Above This" seems primed to do likewise, twisting their sound into more of an adult contemporary rock noise.

However, it's when you move away from the commercial singles that you discover just how good Seether have become when you weren't looking. There are some tough riffs and angry vocals on the likes of "Like Suicide" and "Fallen", but it's on the immense "No Jesus Christ" that Seether hit their peak. A song that starts off away down there, slowly building and twisting its way to a climax over seven priceless minutes.

Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces is an angry album that rages hard from beginning to end, replete with hefty bouts of shouting and swearing, deserving of its Parental Advisory sticker. Morgan often sounds like a man possessed, and it can be quite uncomfortable listening to him exorcise his demons on some of the more coruscating tracks. Generally, it's a bleak and bitter album, with Morgan finding little of joy in his life.

Seether don't really break any new musical ground, although there are some unexpected sprinkles of psychedelia and inventive percussion from the excellent John Humphrey. But with only a couple of tracks ("FMLYHM" and "Eyes Of The Devil") failing to make the mark, it's an album that those pining for the lost days of Soundgarden or those wishing Nickelback would hit puberty will clutch to their hearts.