Seether - Disclaimer II

A few years ago, I remember hearing “Fine Again” on the radio and thinking it was a pretty good song from a band I had never heard of. Over the following months, I became aware of other Seether songs but never really paid much attention, as it wasn’t really a genre I was engulfed in, and I never really listened to the radio anyway. Then a funny thing happened on the way to oblivion; Seether teamed up with Amy Lee to remake one of their songs, and the rest is history. Following the latest trend of re-releasing albums with extended content, Seether now releases Disclaimer II, a two disc DVD combo edition of their debut disc. With 8 additional songs, I was prepared to hear a variety of songs that belonged on the cutting room floor for a reason, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is the extended content worth its weight when compared to the originally track listing, but the original tracks are much stronger than I anticipated. Opening with the in your face “Gasoline,” the disc immediately grabs you by the balls, nicely leading into the radio hits “Fine Again” and “Driven Under.” The second half of the album comes together nicely with the softer moments in “Fade Away” and the original “Broken.” But being a reissue, the main focus is on what the new tracks bring to the table. Shaking the stigma of being leftovers and B-sides packaged around the new single, the tracks are actually quite well done and feel like a continuation of the album more than an afterthought. “Cigarettes” and “Hang On” highlight the extra tracks, leading into the Amy Lee version of “Broken,” bringing the new release to a close. Overall, this was one of those discs that ended up being one of the more pleasant surprises I have reviewed recently. Perhaps prejudging the band, I found myself nodding along to the riffs and enjoying each track along the way. Specifically this album is a great workout disc. I loaded in my iPod Mini the day I got it and have gone back to it numerous times while hitting the gym. This isn’t reinventing the wheel or setting the world ablaze; it does one thing, but it does it well, and for that reason, it deserves some recognition. In a time when most cookie cutter albums are nothing but a waste, this album sets itself apart by combining heavy riffs with well-written melody and production to create a solid album. [www.seether.com]