Seasons After
Calamity Scars & Memoirs
(Seasons After Music)

A stuttering beat with a driving chorus of harmony vocals mixes with the blisteringly fast guitar attack of opener “Break to Survive,” which leads into the “wa-ohs” of the wailing, big staccato hits of the very commercial plea then to the life’s tsunami of “Lights Out.” Welcome to Wichita natives Seasons After’s new album, Calamity Scars & Memoirs.

The big guitar, single-note riffs of James Beattie and Chris Dawson start the chorus-roiling verses and staccato hits of “One More Step.” “Weathered And Worn” begins with a welcome break of plucked guitars with Tony Housh singing as melodically as he has so far here. Things get soaring loud for sure though with Jessie Saint’s bass and Tim Rails’ drumming making an otherwise just heavy tune really swing.

“This Life” sees Rails thundering on his toms and some cool, tight, wavering, low bass effect, with a big commercial chorus, harmony vocals, fast bass pedal formula here as we have before. “It’s Alright” though sees some truly expressive single-note sliding from Saint and again great vocal work from Housh (though once again it is the same formula… Nobody is going to hate these guys if they maintain a softer sound through an entire song and don’t go to an always singable, overly commercial chorus).

The full stop, “My Last Words,” is the last word here. The interplay of two guitars here figures well on this last of ten.