SEAMOUNT (IV: Earthmother) CD:
I guess there is no need to introduce this band from Germany with the American on the mic, right? Seamount should by now be a household name for everyone into Doom, Heavy Rock and like-minded genres. With three albums in their back catalogue, two of these being on Germany's famous The Church Within Record, the band from southern Germany (apart from singer Phil Swanson of course) already managed to create a trademark sound that they do not leave with their fourth album. There are just some refinements here and there. Is this still Doom Metal in its narrow sense? Maybe not, still they have their place there.
Most of the songs have a melancholic feel. Seems like Phil is once again wearing his heart on his sleeve on this album with lyrics that deal mostly with personal stuff. And even though there are a lot of dark chapters to be told on 'IV: Earthmother', both lyrics and music seem not to be utterly hopeless. There is a light at the end. So what is new soundwise? The use of real Doom riffs is shortened in favour of more 70s Hard Rock and at least to me there seems to be more work with acoustic guitar, not only as the main instrument like in the calm "power ballad" 'Echos', where it takes half of the song 'til the elctric guitars set in, but also to support electric guitar-driven riffs and arpeggios. 'Isolation' is a good example for that.
And when I speak of 70s Hard Rock here, I do not want you to mistake Seamount for another band in the vein of Graveyard or Witchcraft. Seamount sound different. Not really modern, but then again they do not have this total retro sound. The overly melancholic mood shines through here an there as in 'Aphrodites Child' with its slight bow to Stoner Rock. Furthermore, this works when the band increases the speed like in the rocking 'Just For Fantasy' or in the closing cover of Witchfinder General's "hit" 'Music'. What can I say - I was never fond of that song. And it does not change here either. But that is only one small downer on an album, which I can only recommand to anybody reading this site.
(Thorsten Frahling)