SEETHER

SEETHER are the definition of a post-grunge band that's remained active and relevant. Frontman Shaun Morgan and company first broke out in 2002 with their Wind-up Records debut, "Disclaimer". Radio immediately loved the band, and songs such as "Driven Under", "Fine Again" and "Gasoline" became mainstays on active rock radio. Over the years, they've never taken an extended hiatus, consistently releasing new music.

Now, SEETHER are back with their ninth studio album, "The Surface Seems So Far". The album keeps in line with the band's brand of anthemic post-grunge, with raw, NIRVANA-inspired guitars, soul-searching lyrics and radio-ready songs.

"Judas Mind" kicks off the set, and it's also the album's debut single. SEETHER have always had a fondness for working with dynamics, and they do that here, as the song starts soft with a gentle guitar lick and crashes into a slow-burning rocker. Morgan urges the listener to not fear the "storm" that's blowing towards them. It's a deep, dark song and illuminates the band's progression in songwriting from their early days.

"Illusion" follows, offering SEETHER's heavier side. Think "Gasoline" verses "Broken". "Illusion" has the band delivering sharp, relentless guitars and Morgan showing that he can scream when it's called for in the moment. SEETHER are known for bringing a country twang to their music, which was really apparent on their 2011 single, "County Song". They keep some of that country vibe on "The Surface Seems So Far", but it's mainly concentrated in "Beneath the Veil", which features some twangy guitar licks amid Morgan's melodic vocals in the verses before evolving into a more straight-ahead rocker in the chorus.

As the album progresses, it becomes apparent that "The Surface Seems So Far" is one of the heavier albums in SEETHER's discography. Songs such as "Try To Heal", "Paint The World" and "Dead ON THE Vine" are among the heaviest SEETHER have ever released, thanks to thick walls of guitars and relentless rhythms. Morgan has never been quiet about his admiration for late NIRVANA vocalist Kurt Cobain, and he really channel's his vocals in "Same Mistakes", where he sounds eerily like Cobain.

SEETHER close out the album with a gentle ballad, and there's no denying that Morgan and SEETHER shine on ballads. Morgan sings of a lost love, saying that he remembers the sound of this person's voice, smell of their clothes and wishes things could have been different.

Bands such as SEETHER have a tight line to walk, in that they can't be around for more than 20 years and not evolve at all, but they also cannot evolve so much that they change their style,  alienating longtime fans. On "The Surface Seems So Far", SEETHER successfully show their evolution as songwriters, especially in their lyrics, but maintain their distinct post-grunge sound that's still so popular today.