Album Review: Seething Akira – Dysfunctional Wonderland

Another band who wowed crowds at Bloodstock 2021 are Seething Akira. Definitely one of the “out there” acts in terms of originality, it’s been a long time since Sleepy Skeletor but finally we have a new release – Dysfunctional Wonderland.

A bunch of these tracks are already out as singles, and it’s already apparent that the addition of a two-pronged guitar attack from Corney and Williams that the sound has shifted slightly more into the metal sphere, but the electronic / dance sound is still present as ever… along with the wickedly catchy hooks, fast-paced riffs, thudding beats and angry lyrics.

While we have typical stormers like “Knock Off God” and “Gravity”, Seething Akira once again show their range with the title track. This is probably the most complex song they’ve ever done, multi-layered and brutal sections wrapped around quieter and more introspective elements. Think “song” rather than “anthem” to get an idea of what I mean.

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Harking back to Sleepy Skeletor, the “guest vocalist” song was also the most ethereal (while obviously still containing some crushing moments). “Lucid Dream” follows this pattern, with Arcaeon’s Stu Sarre adding to the vocal mix. It’s very much one of the two most “different” songs on the album, but it’s always nice to have something that steps away from the standard so that things don’t get stale.

The angry “Smile Thief” is the most recently released single, followed by “The Fallen” which is one of the more rock/metal-centric tracks on here. The electronics and drops are back in force on “Kenneth Dopeland” and the album wraps with the rather unusual “Dear Hazel”. Almost 100% spoken word lyrically, with a simple musical background, the song is obviously an extended thank you message and credit to … well… Hazel. A quick bit of Google-fu located a lady called Hazel whose facebook profile lists her as “Mother at Seething Akira”. A lovely gesture from the band, and a great song that I’m sure she’ll appreciate.

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A long time coming, but a worthy successor to the incredible debut album. Similar enough to still be bursting at the seams with their original identity, different enough to be a step forward.

Dysfunctional Wonderland is out on September 3rd and orderable now

Check out all the bands we review in 2021 on our Spotify and YouTube playlists!

Seething Akira: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | bandcamp | youtube | bigcartel

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