Interview: Seethe

Seethe is an alternative/nu metal artist hailing from Pittsburgh. Spawning from the isolation of Covid lockdowns in 2020, this project has taken on a life of its own. With a handful of albums and EPs and an expansive catalog of singles to his name, Seethe shows no signs of slowing down.

One of the first people to let me review his music when I started my own journey, I’m surprised it has taken us this long to do an interview! We discussed his musical beginnings, inspiration, dream collaborations, and much more – and I feel like we only scratched the surface! Check it out!

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Mostly Music: So let’s talk some background first. How did you get started making music?

Seethe: Music has always been there. It’s in the blood on both my mom’s side and my dad’s side. I grew up around anything from oldies, to bluegrass, to metal, rock, and hip hop. I was air guitaring and singing with a brush as a microphone before I was even potty trained!

MM: That vast array of exposure explains a lot. Lol. Your music definitely has quite a bit of variety.

Do you have any particular band/artist that was, like, The One that made you really wanna pursue this? Or a song? I know it’s not always that specific, but…

Seethe: There are many layers to that. First, I was a guitarist that dabbled in some piano and bass, then over time, transferred to lead vocals. Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jerry Cantrell made me wanna pick up and sling the ole six string. In my high school years, I was deep into acoustic pop rock with the likes of John Mayer, Secondhand Serenade, Dashboard Confessional, and Five Times August. When it came down to vocals (waaaaay early on), I hadn’t found my voice and was attempting very bad Creed/Breaking Benjamin vocals til I started actually singing and exploring my voice round 3, 2016. Phil Anselmo, Tim Williams, and Billy Keeton were very, very influential in where I was trying to go vocally as I began to explore my voice.

MM: Okay, with all that going on, how did you find your sound? I know your sound varies, but for a while, you leaned heavily into the trap metal end of things, so to speak. Was that a conscious decision, or was it more…you played around with ideas and found that that particular genre fit what you were going for?

I feel like I’m wording that badly…

Seethe: Covid honestly was really responsible for the creation of Seethe. I had begun to dabble in electronic music but never had the guts to release it. Anything I had released up to that point I had a band or a partner in crime, and I always had that comradery and support, but never enough guts to put something out solely by myself. At the start it was mainly just to make some music with an electronic edge like the “Queen of The Damned” soundtrack with the modern soundscape of the trap metal genre that had been blowing up in recent years. While a niche genre, it allowed me to develop and grow. After 4-ish years of producing and releasing trap metal tracks, I had decided it was time to start branching out and shifting my sound. That’s honestly the beauty of being a solo artist. Yes, there is more work, and it literally all falls on my shoulders, but I could/can do what I want, when I want.

MM: So, this may be a stupid question, but with the recent releases veering into a less electronic/trap-oriented direction, are you still working solo?

Seethe: Nope. If I had the equipment and better resources, I definitely would (Lord knows it would probably be cheaper if i did, given my rate of output). Fortunately, I have met many different and awesome producers along the way. Sometimes, we work together on a project from the ground up, or it’s a matter of me merely scavenging beats/instrumentals I find and lease or purchase. Some awesome producers I’ve worked with (but not limited to) – Slaughter, APXLLYXN, Exor, Gus Wallner, VIXLENCE, Last of a Dying Breed. Can’t forget Aura Abnormal, and Dead Prophet Alive.

MM: You have released four tracks so far this year. Congratulations on that, by the way. Can you give me a bit of background on the most recent single, “Oceans”?

Seethe: “Oceans” is one of the first songs in a while that wasn’t written introspectively. It’s more of an observation about the world as we see it now. All of the doom and gloom and tension that hangs in the air. REM said it best: “it’s the end of the world as we know it.”

In the recording side of things, this was a fun/challenging one to work on. Jacob Lizotte is an amazing producer/composer, and that forced me to really up my game vocally. The music not only goes hard in the paint,  but it’s also very open and has a sort of ambient atmosphere to it, so I had plenty of room to paint the canvas with my craft.

MM: I wanna ask a question that’s kinda just for fun, but I love the answers I get. If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?

Seethe: Dream collabs would be Layne Staley, Phil Anselmo, Damien Starkey, Brock Lindow, and Chad Gray.

MM: A Chad Gray collab would be SO good!!! So what is your creative process? How do you piece songs together? (I’m interested in both the writing and recording aspects, but hands down, I grasp the writing part a lot more easily. I know nothing about recording.)

Seethe: The creative process varies. It’s honestly one of my favorite things about art. I am a multi-instrumentalist, but I unfortunately don’t have a means to record anything besides vocals. I have been fortunate enough to work alongside multiple producers and composers to build songs from the ground up. Sometimes, someone will hit me with a piece of music and want me to man vocals. Other times, it’s merely me scavenging on BeatStars or YouTube, looking for a beat that catches my ear. A lot of times, the songwriting for me is very spur of the moment or if something catches my ear. You never know when inspiration is gonna strike.

Or other times I will have a song written up and it’s a matter of finding or creating the music to bring it all together. There are times I will sit on a song or idea for months, or it comes out on the spot in minutes. Collabs are always fun as well. It’s a different energy when you have someone bring you on and you are putting your craft with someone else’s vision.

MM: We could probably keep talking for ages, but I’ve already used up a lot of your time. Thank you very much for this interview. I look forward to hearing what you come up with next and perhaps having another conversation about…well, everything!

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In the time since we wrapped up our chat, Seethe has announced the release of his fifth single for 2025, “Reprieve.” The track will hit streaming services on April 26th. You can pre-save it here!

But while you’re waiting, be sure to listen to the other songs he has dropped since January – “Mandela Effect,” “IDT (Falling in Wait),” “Depths,” and “Oceans.” These four offerings grant a glimpse into the wide creative range Seethe possesses and the varied stylistic choices he makes. If you enjoy what you hear, follow him on your favorite platforms so that you never miss any Seethe music news!

The Mostly Music 2025 Playlist, Pt. 3 (Updated 3/16/25)

Welcome to March! I hope daylight savings time didn’t ruin your week like it did mine. (If y’all don’t mess with that BS where you live, lucky you.)

Anyway, time change aside, this month seems to be moving ahead much more rapidly than January or February. On the bright side, we have a really killer soundtrack for the ride!

Here are the recent releases that have been added since February 28th! And don’t forget to visit parts one and two, if you haven’t already. You could just discover your new favorite song!

The Mostly Music 2025 Playlist, Pt. 2 (Updated 2/28/25)

The final update for February is upon us! 2025 started flying by once January finally ended. Be sure to check out the entire playlist – parts one and two – and prepare for whatever March has to offer.

Here are the songs that have been added since February 14th.

What was the first album you ever bought with your own money? [QOTW, 2/2/25]

I decided to change the title format for these posts. Anyone reading, feel free to leave your answer in my comments!!! Not all the questions will be catered to bands/artists.

  • “Underoath: They’re Only Chasing Safety.” – Seethe
  • “Rob Zombie: Hellbilly Deluxe.” – TJ, K.A.R.L. (Kill All Remaining Life)
  • “Mine was a cassette. T-Rex: The Collection. It had a cool photo of Marc Bolan on the cover!” – Richard, RJ Archer and the Painful Memories
  • “Mariah Carey: One Sweet Day. Guilty as charged.” – Martin, Naked Sunday
  • “First CD purchase was two. Bought both Slipknot’s and Flaw’s debut albums.” – Encircled Throne
  • “Foreigner: 4, in 4th or 5th grade.” – A/V Cult
  • “Mötley Crüe: Decade of Decadence.” – Deadly Vices
  • “Bon Jovi: Slippery When Wet, when I was in the 3rd grade.” – Mandatory Affect
  • “Sum 41: All Killer, No Filler.” – The Welcoming
  • “Europe: The Final Countdown, when I had just turned 9.” – Xavi, The Lürxx
  • “Megadeth: Countdown to Extinction on cassette.” – Marco, After the Apocalypse
  • “The first album I bought was KISS on vinyl.” – Scot, Road to Ruin
  • “My first two records, I got them together, were Toto’s Through the Looking Glass and Dream Theater’s Scenes From a Memory.” – Kyle, AV/drum tech, ex-Edge of Destiny

The Mostly Music 2025 Playlist, Pt. 1 (Updated 1/31/25)

This is the second, and final, playlist update for January. I have already begun compiling my Top 50 of 2025 – I think this year is going to be difficult to narrow down… (I say that every year, but I already have 6 contenders and it’s not even February. If that happens every month, my life is going to be a challenge come December. Ha ha!)

Here are the tracks that have been added to the playlist since January 14th. You can view the list in its entirety here.

The Mostly Music 2024 Playlist, Pt. 6 (Updated 12/22/24)

I will probably do an extra update next week, just so the end-of-year releases don’t get overlooked. Also, keep an eye out for my Top 50 of 2024, which will be posted on the 31st. Feel free to check out the entire playlist and find your own favorite songs from this year!

Pt. 1 – Pt. 2 – Pt. 3 – Pt. 4 – Pt. 5 – Pt. 6

Here are the tracks that have been added since December 8th.

The Mostly Music 2024 Playlist, Pt. 4 (Updated 7/14/24)

Welcome to The Mostly Music 2024 Playlist, Part 4, which will include singles released in July and August (and maybe a couple from the very end of June). You can follow the playlist here. Be sure to check out the other installments as well!

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3

Here are the songs that have been added to part 4 so far!

EPs Released January to June 2024

There have been quite a few EPs released so far this year, and I decided to put a list together at the halfway point (June). I’m sure I’ve missed several, but these are the ones I have found. Please keep in mind that my focus is the lesser known indie community. If you have an EP to add to this list, feel free to drop a comment!

Note: I will be doing a separate post for the full-length albums released within the same time frame.

Seethe Offers Another Glimpse Into Darkness With New EP, ‘Schisms & Pendulums’

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!

Skies of Terra Teams Up With Seethe on New Single, “Invincibility Codes”

Post-hardcore/prog rock band Skies of Terra is back with a new single entitled “Invincibility Codes,” which features alternative/trap metal artist Seethe. The track is now available to stream everywhere!

Hard-hitting from start to finish, “Invincibility Codes” is sure to satiate the tastes of even the most discerning heavy music fan. When asked about the story behind the song, vocalist/instrumentalist Euclides Polanco had this to say:

“‘Invincibility Codes’ is about the anxiety-driven feeling of falling. [In this case] ‘falling’ could be used as running out of time, losing sight, close to giving up, and negative contemplations. Phrases like ‘leave the lights on, I’m on my way home’ are calls to the ones the main character is speaking to before deciding…to leave this life. There is a lot of talk about confusion and being driven off the deep end while trying to hide behind a fake smile each day.”

The frustration and hopelessness behind living this way is expressed through music, vocals, and lyrics, all knitted together into a piece that is relatable to anyone who has had to put on a brave front in their day-to-day life. The verses are host to a rapid-fire beat, matched by a driving riff, all topped by Euclides’ clean vocals. “Am I alive? Or barely just breathing?/This isn’t living or existing, behind a malignant smile/And I cannot break free!”

This combination climbs to the bridge and chorus, during which, conversely, the music is more rhythmic while vocalist Justin Townsend unleashes a tidal wave of pent-up rage. “Falling from the sky/Above my head, you are watching me from a vengeful drone/I’m falling fast/The darkness spreads/Leave the lights on, I’m on my way home!”

As the second bridge reaches its close, Euclides announces “Wait, we’re not quite finished yet!” and we are launched into the final breakdown, penned and delivered by Seethe. The story of this collaboration makes it seem as if it were always meant to be.

“Skies of Terra and myself, we’re from the Pittsburgh scene,” explains Seethe. “In 2019, my band signed to a label called Brutal Business Entertainment, but going into 2020 [when Covid happened], the owner wanted to step down. He essentially gave me the label to run. Skies of Terra was one of the first bands that I personally signed.”

“Seethe showed us love very early on,” Euclides recalls. “I had written the demo for ‘Invincibility Codes’ in January 2020. It was originally written for the EP, The Party is Over, but it didn’t fit the narrative and vibe. It just wasn’t ready. Seethe had written a section that sounded pretty sweet, but we left the track alone until fall of 2022. [That’s when] I re-wrote it and sent it to Seethe to work on. He’s the one that ended up creating a big foundation for how things were articulated throughout the album. ‘Invincibility Codes’ has very important motifs that are revisited in other tracks.” 

“Clides brought [‘Invincibility Codes’] to me, and he was like, ‘I really want you on this outro’,” Seethe says. “The track was kinda the same as it is now, but a lot of the kinks weren’t worked out. We went back and forth about it, then we shelved it. Out of nowhere, [in 2022], Clides gave me the music and they had me write my breakdown for the end.”

“It was nerve-wracking,” Seethe adds. “They gave me a blank slate at the end to do whatever I wanted. I felt the pressure, because Clides and Justin are both great vocalists, so without knowing what they were gonna do ahead of time, I had to make sure I sent the track out on a high note.”

True to his aim, Seethe does conclude “Invincibility Codes” on a high note. He grants the listener a final eruption of anger, an audible picture of hitting the breaking point. “Push it to the brink/Push, push/I’m coming!/I’m coming home!”

Stream “Invincibility Codes” now, and check out the lyric video below!

Follow Skies of Terra on all their socials so you never miss anything!