Chicago’s So Many Ways is an enigma. With influences and inspirations that run the gamut of aggressive music, they truly cannot be pinned down. With their latest EP, Seer, So Many Ways stakes their claim as a band that does not abide by rules or boundaries when it comes to their music. As a result, this EP is a one-of-a-kind trip into various genres of metal, punk and even pop at best, but an indecisive hodgepodge at its worst.
Not much about So Many Ways is obvious at a glance, except for maybe one thing: the emphasis on guitars. The guitar work is by far the most interesting and eclectic element in the sound crafted on Seer, and the EP’s artwork is quite indicative of that. The juxtaposition of two guitars, one bright and charismatic next another that is all black, and facing backwards is almost the yin and yang of Seer. Additionally, the confusingly odd backdrop to the artwork is also quite indicative of the unusual context in which the guitars are able to stand out.
That context comes in the form of the vocals and songwriting. The vocalist utilizes a not unusual sing-scream dynamic on most of the tracks, but the odd part is that the strict range of his shouts sounds like they’d be at home in a hardcore punk or melodic hardcore band. Hearing these vocals immediately followed by a Van Halen-inspired guitar solo isn’t the logical progression most listeners have come to expect, but that’s a very good thing – the fact that instead of having a breakdown, something everyone would be prepared for, So Many Ways pulls the rug out from under that established dynamic.
Unfortunately, taking a chance like that sometimes leaves the band vulnerable to slipping up, however. Because of all the different sounds and genre influences in each song, everything becomes susceptible to sounding piecemeal and fragmented. In "Pen Island", the almost power-metal riff shifts rather awkwardly into a hardcore punk verse, and then to a pop chorus; it just sounds more forced than some of the more seamlessly written songs on the album.
So Many Ways succeeds the most when a song has a clear vision, and uses the unique blending of styles as a means to empower that vision, and not the other way around. This is most apparent in the first two tracks “Twisted Heat” and “11:22”. While one central riff or idea guides the song, stylistically each track jumps around in an interesting and intriguing way. The formula So Many Ways have created on the better tracks of Seer is something they should run with into their full-length.
Despite the minor faults, this is one of the more interesting releases I’ve heard this year, especially because I had no idea of this band’s various metal and punk influences before giving Seer a listen. I applaud them for making something fresh and unpredictable, and you should pick this album based those merits alone.
Tracklist:
1. Twisted Heat
2. 11:22
3. Pen Island
4. Roraima
5. SMTWTFS
6. Astral Beast
RIYL: Something different
Rating:
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