Seiches and Sirens is the second full-length album from Pennsylvania’s
Almost Honest, whose self-described “Viking funk doom rock” basically sounds
like heavier Clutch. The muscular guitar and dramatic vocals have connection to
groups like Mastodon or The Sword, but the southern slant is right in line with
the grooves you would hear on Blast
Tyrant or Robot Hive/Exodus. At
the very least, the band has considerably grown since their first album, 2017’s
Thunder Mouth.
While the band’s more metal aspects may result in someoverall rigidness, everything is well played. What the vocals lack in charisma, they make up for with sheer variety as the howls, croons, bellows, and the occasional snarl all manage to work with the material at hand. The other musicians also put in solid performances as the drums hit hard, the bass provides a steady undercurrent, and the guitar has a strong crunch without getting too stiff.
They also remembered to put some pretty great songs on here. Lead single “Keystone” is easily the album’s best song as its swing rhythm and catchy chorus are compounded by crashing guitars and smooth vocal lines. “Dancing Shaman and the Psychedelic Cactus” is also a fun standout, not only for the eccentric title but also for the gleefully nihilistic breakdown at the climax. If post punk taught me anything, it’s that the best declarations about the meaninglessness of existence are the ones you can dance to!
Overall, Almost Honest still needs a little extra oomph to reach their full potential but they’re very much on the upswing with Seiches and Sirens. This is a fun listen based on an inherently enjoyable style and the creature feature lyrical theme gives it even more of that quirky charm. I’ll hope for even catchier hooks on their next installment but in the meantime, fans of such groups as Clutch, Red Fang, and Mutoid Man should deem this relevant to their interests.
While the band’s more metal aspects may result in someoverall rigidness, everything is well played. What the vocals lack in charisma, they make up for with sheer variety as the howls, croons, bellows, and the occasional snarl all manage to work with the material at hand. The other musicians also put in solid performances as the drums hit hard, the bass provides a steady undercurrent, and the guitar has a strong crunch without getting too stiff.
They also remembered to put some pretty great songs on here. Lead single “Keystone” is easily the album’s best song as its swing rhythm and catchy chorus are compounded by crashing guitars and smooth vocal lines. “Dancing Shaman and the Psychedelic Cactus” is also a fun standout, not only for the eccentric title but also for the gleefully nihilistic breakdown at the climax. If post punk taught me anything, it’s that the best declarations about the meaninglessness of existence are the ones you can dance to!
Overall, Almost Honest still needs a little extra oomph to reach their full potential but they’re very much on the upswing with Seiches and Sirens. This is a fun listen based on an inherently enjoyable style and the creature feature lyrical theme gives it even more of that quirky charm. I’ll hope for even catchier hooks on their next installment but in the meantime, fans of such groups as Clutch, Red Fang, and Mutoid Man should deem this relevant to their interests.
Highlights:
“Keystone”
“Dancing Shaman and the Psychedelic Cactus”
“Stonecutter”
“Jenny Greenteeth”
Final Grade: B+
“Keystone”
“Dancing Shaman and the Psychedelic Cactus”
“Stonecutter”
“Jenny Greenteeth”
Final Grade: B+
