Seether, ‘Isolate and Medicate’ – Album Review

Several albums into their career, Seether prove they're as vital as ever with their latest disc, 'Isolate and Medicate.'

The group offers one of their finest albums to date by digging deep and expressing themselves in a variety of ways. Frontman Shaun Morgan says of the new disc, "The whole record is a collection of diary entries. It's just where I'm at and what I'm going through. I'm writing songs about getting through whatever situations I'm in at the time. These songs deal with relationships and life situations."

That's evident right off the bat with the sludgy rocker 'See You at the Bottom,' with Morgan laying it all out for everyone to see and delivering one of his best primal screams on the disc. But just when you think it's going to be a dark album, the band switches things up with 'Same Damn Life,' easily one of the most accessible and catchy songs of Seether's career. The John Humphrey beats power the track, while a rare falsetto also creeps into the infectiously poppy rocker.

Keeping things interesting, the album's lead single 'Words as Weapons' offers a unique march-like percussion that's fairly fresh to their sound and serves up the optimistic message, "All I really want is something beautiful to say." Mission accomplished.

As for the rest of the album, there's not a clunker in the bunch. The group shows off a bluesier side on the tracks 'My Disaster' and 'Nobody Praying for Me.' Meanwhile, 'Suffer It All' should connect with fans looking for some heavy, chunky riffs to embrace. 'Keep the Dogs at Bay' is a driving rocker that's among the album's standout cuts. And 'Watch Me Drown' provides a bouncier overall sound.

All in all, Seether's 'Isolate and Medicate' keeps it fresh for longtime fans of the band and shows that the group can still find some new areas to mine.