Alternative/trap metal artist Seethe has never been one to shy away from the darker side of the human condition, and his forthcoming EP Schisms & Pendulums is yet another testament to this. Set to be released May 15th, the three-song record takes on the harrowing subjects of modern organized religion and the battle with cancer.
“I was listening to Deftones’ self-titled album and Nirvana’s In Utero quite a bit while writing this EP,” Seethe explains. “Not that it can necessarily be heard [musically], but I feel I caught the vibe and essence of both albums. Dirty, yet clean enough to not sound like garbage. This is also thanks to the production by Vixlence Beatz and Gus Wallner’s mixing and mastering.”
As with much of Seethe’s creations, Schisms & Pendulums is an EP meant to be felt as well as heard. The first track, “Coalesce,” is filled with disgust and rage, which colors every lyric, intonation, and the stylings of the accompanying music. “It’s a stab at modern day religion,” Seethe says. “Not that God and Jesus don’t exist, but more how modern religion is propagated toward political welfare and also the alarming number of cases of sexual abuse and misconduct from clergymen over the last 20-30 years.”
“Coalesce” is followed by “Cascade,” a heart-wrenching ode penned from the point of view of a person witnessing a loved one struggle with cancer. Seethe wrote the song about his mother’s second fight with the illness, and the raw pain bleeds through in the words and the way in which he screams out the emotion from within. “Lights gleaming with a sense of purpose, dimming out over the cascade/Burning out without a purpose, crashing down to one’s knees…” It is an unflinching dose of reality, the bitterness borne from watching somebody wither away while trying so hard to stay strong.
“Dreary” is the other side of the same coin, a story told from the patient’s point of view. Fraught with frustration and anger, the narrator looks back on life and wonders “Why me? I’m a good person.” The sentiment is echoed in a line that is repeated throughout: “Cure me, please, you owe me this.”
Schisms & Pendulums will hit all major streaming platforms on May 15th! You can presave the EP here, and visit Seethe’s other socials to make sure you never miss an update!
Welcome to the first update of The Mostly Music 2024 Playlist, Part 3! Be sure to visit the first two parts, featuring releases from January through April: partes uno y dos.
Here are the songs that have been added since April 21st.
Alabama rockers Shallow Side have released their latest single, “Filters,” which features a guest appearance by Nonpoint vocalist Elias Soriano. This is one of the heaviest songs Shallow Side has ever put out, and I am digging it! Check out the official video below and be sure to add “Filters” to your playlists on your favorite streaming service.
“Filters” will be airing on Sirius XM Octane at the times listed below:
Pennsylvania-based alternative band No Trees Touch The Sky released their latest single, “Sunrise,” on April 19th. The song was recorded at Diver Down Studios with Stephen Angello and Fred Mascherino and is streaming everywhere.
“Sunrise” possesses a mellow, ambient vibe that is reminiscent of such artists as Thirty Seconds To Mars and Incubus. There is an underlying energy, a tension that breaks with each chorus before settling back into a soothing melody and smooth vocals. The track reaches its crescendo at the 2:16 mark, the second chorus leading straight into a beautifully clean guitar solo.
Listen to “Sunrise” below, then add it to your playlist!!!! And get ready for more from No Trees Touch The Sky in 2024!
Alchemy Within is a musical project based out of Bel Air, Maryland. His work is described as alternative rock that harkens back to the early 2000s, but there are no boundaries for him and the other musicians who contribute to the songs.
Having just released the new EP The Story Thus Far in March, Alchemy Within has hit the ground running in 2024. I was lucky enough to be given the chance to chat with him about how he started, influences, guilty pleasures, what’s next for the project, and more!
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Mostly Music: How did you start this project? What was it that made you want to create music?
Alchemy Within: I originally started writing solely to maintain my own mental health. Therapy helps, but it wasn’t getting the job done on its own. When I first made Alchemy Within, I had every intention of it being a full band, but I got tired of waiting for people, so I started on my own. I play a little bit of keyboard, but most of the instrumental parts you hear are by cowriters.
MM: What is your songwriting process?
AW: The process usually starts with the lyrics. I’ll have 3 or 4 lines I really like, then build the rest of the song and melody around them.
MM: Do you have regular contributors, as far as your cowriters, or do the other musicians change each time?
AW: I like to have 1 main collaborator, and then if I have someone in mind or someone shows interest, I’ll have them join in, too. Like “Troubled Waters” and “Like A Bullet” have different drummers. I love hearing in the end product how different musician’s influences and stylistic choices blend with mine.
MM: Why call your project “Alchemy Within”?
AW: It’s probably not what you would expect. I was watching something on the History Channel or Travel Channel, something like that, and they were talking about alchemy. I was like, “Huh. That’s kind of like what music is, right?” I wanted the word Alchemy in there, but I didn’t know how to use it, so I used a band name generator. Lol. I typed in that I wanted the word “alchemy” in there, and Alchemy Within was one of the results.
MM: It’s NEVER what I expect! But the generator did you a solid, because that’s good! Who are your major influences, musically? And what is it about that band – or bands – (or artists) that inspires you?
AW: Thank you! My biggest influences are ANYTHING Chris Cornell, Blue October, and Maria Brink. I feel like Chris Cornell is pretty self-explanatory, he’s Chris Cornell. Blue October inspires me because they just kind of do whatever they want and it sounds great. Like one of their songs has an opera singer in it!? I never would’ve thought of that, but it works. Maria Brink is hands down my biggest influence. Especially her Blood and Black Widow eras. She faced SO much adversity and showed so much growth as an artist and a person that I immediately became a fan.
MM: It is inspiring to watch someone face adversity and come out stronger on the other side, especially when much of the judgment is…unwarranted, I guess you might say? Like, it wasn’t that she did shocking or offensive things to draw attention; she just existed in that scene and caught shit for it.
AW: Yeah, she definitely caught a lot of flak that was uncalled for. Those circle pits she would start herself were CRAZY.
MM: Is there anyone you listen to or draw inspiration from that might surprise people? What’s your “guilty pleasure”? (Not that you should be guilty over anything that makes you happy. Lol.)
AW: Usually, Maria Brink and Blue October are the ones that surprise people, but I think they’d also be surprised that I draw inspiration from Dorothy as well.
My guilty pleasures are usually one-offs by different artists, but I think it’s a tie between “Hurt” by Christina Aguilera and “Breakaway” by Avril Lavigne.
MM: I love Dorothy! Saw her (them) with Shinedown, and it made me so happy! Okay. One more of the digging-into-your-tastes type questions, then I’ll get back to the music. Lol. What would be your dream tour lineup that includes Alchemy Within? Be as realistic or unrealistic as you wanna be. I’ve had some fun answers to this one.
AW: Oh crap, that’s a tough one. Unless all of their publicly known personalities are a lie, I think touring with In This Moment and Black Veil Brides would be fun. Maria Brink’s bodyguard kind of scares me, though, not gonna lie. Haha. Myself and a few other people thought he was Jason Mamoa at first glance.
MM: I met BVB in 2018. The VIP was…very controlled, but I got to talk to Andy, Jake, Jinxx, and CC after the show. CC is just as animated as he seems. Lol. And Andy was actually very sweet. My favorite comment he made was “Don’t worry. I’ve been cried on before.” (It wasn’t about me.)
Okay. Back to the music. So I don’t wanna ask your “favorite” song you’ve written, but do you have a track that you connect with more than others?
AW: I think I connect with “Shady” the most because it’s not really about a specific event that’s come and gone, it’s about the ongoing process of self-improvement.
MM: So it’s ALWAYS relatable. You just released “Like a Bullet,” which is how we came to be here. Lol. Can you tell me the story behind that song? You mentioned it was one of your “fun” songs. What was the process when writing lyrics/composing for it?
AW: So the fun part is more the melody and overall sound than it is the lyrics. In a nutshell, it’s about trying to resolve trauma and navigating the consequences/damage. The process was pretty cut and dry. I wrote the chorus lyrics/melody, and my cowriter wrote the instrumentals, then we built off of that. I have no idea why I decided to make the song as high as it is. It only made things 10 times harder.
MM: I would say it paid off. I love the song. I think a lot of people don’t believe I listen to all the music I find, but I do. So, what are your plans for the rest of 2024 from a musical standpoint?
AW: Thank you! I’m just kind of rolling with the punches as far as 2024 goes. I’m branching out a bit and starting to work with different producers and musicians. The production aspect of my music might sound a liiiiiittle different from here on out, but it’ll still kick ass all the same. Hopefully, 2024 is the year I finally find some bandmates!
MM: And if you get a band together, you’ll book shows, right??? Because my little neck of the woods would just be so happy to see you!
Is there any message you want to give your fans (and my readers)?
AW: I will absolutely start booking shows and I’d love to come to your town! To fans and readers alike, I’m always working on something, so at any given point, there is always something new around the corner. Like I just recovered from having Covid and I was still working on music that whole time. It never stops.
MM: I think my last question would be, where all can my readers find your music? Are your songs available on every major platform, or…?
AW: The vast majority of streaming platforms, yeah. The only big one I’m not on is SoundCloud. My distributor doesn’t work with them, and I haven’t made a SoundCloud account yet.
MM: Thank you so much for your time! This has been a lot of fun. We’ll have to do it again soon!
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Listen to the latest Alchemy Within single, “Like a Bullet,” below and be sure to follow his socials so you never miss an update!!!
Mostly Music 