Seraph/ The Light

From Mississippi come Seraphim. Previously a young band with a promising seven-inch on their back, but in what seems like an instant they've become laudable songwriters prone to larger things. The Light showcases a band building on a solid foundation laid down by trailblazers such as Neurosis, Isis (Celestial/Panopticon era), adding touches of early Torche as well. Sounds like the ingredients for the countless clones that came in the wake of the aforementioned bands' successes. But fret not. Seraphim bring youthful exuberance to the table, as well as the willingness to sprinkle each song with something extra that gives them an edge. Opener "Growing Apart" would have been at home on a Sigur Rós record and quickly the vocals stand out. They are screams, for the most part, but are in key when the song calls for it, engaging the listener. When the clean vocals emerge, the songs welcome them; it's just the right mix. "The Dust Filled Our Lungs" might as well have been a collaboration with Today is the Day's Steve Austin. By this point I thought I had them figured out but the next song is a banjo number; it is as melancholic as it is pretty ? fantastic. Keyboards, e-bow and an array of pedals come into play throughout, only to solidify and diversify the album's rigid core. The Light In The Distance is a mature, satisfying effort awash with carefully penned songs that are strong, memorable and evocative. - Exclaim! Magazine

Seraphim’s ambitious debut LP perfectly balances super heavy droning riffs, somber moments of experimentation, and vocals that go from gruff to clean without ever losing their sense of melody. Completely epic. For fans of Isis, Neurosis and Mastodon. CD version available on Chainsaw Safety Records. - Dom Romeo

The Light In The Distance" is a fifty minute LP that captures the band at all their peaks and valleys. The songs range from droning heaviness to soothing post-rock-ish tracks like "Empty Sea". I could probably use a thesaurus to better describe the sound of Seraphim in full, but what fun would that be?

It is impressive to me that this is only a three piece band. When these guys get heavy and loud it sounds like a ten man band. The whole record sounds full without being overstuffed. Even the lighter tracks seem to be layered expertly to get the right feel. The transitions from soft to heavy are also well done. For a band that fluctuates in sound several times in an album they do so without sounding disjointed and all over the place or sudden and forced.

I don't have many gripes about "The Light In The Distance", the vocals over the heavy parts get a little stale at times, but Seraphim isn't a vocals first kind of band. Honestly, I probably only notice it due to the amount I have listened to this record over the last month or so. -

toxicbreed:
"Lets face it, to say that as the years have gone on the whole Neurosis/Isis/ETC style of "post-metal" music has been aped by hundreds of bands and to say that particular subgenre of music has become stale would be beating a dead horse at this point. It seems like no matter how many bands put out records like this, they always seem to boil down to pale imitations of the real thing. Seraphim has not only dispelled this preconception, they have raised the bar. After releasing a promising demo and 3 song 7 inch, they have released their incredible 8 song LP and the time and effort they spent on crafting this masterpiece definitely shows. Crushing heavier sections blend seamlessly into hypnotic psychedelic guitar riffs and breathtaking acoustic passages. It helps that they are backed by an amazing recording as well. Seraphim were always a very promising band but this LP finds a band coming into their own and proving that their songwriting chops are not something to be taken lightly. Fans of the aforementioned bands and the genre of metal in general would be doing a great disservice to themsleves if they don't check out and ultimately pick up this record. It won't be long before Seraphim is mentioned alongside bands like Baroness, Kylesa, Torche as heavyweights in the forefront of metal. I cannot recommend this album enough." -Words Of Evil - Words Of Evil

Tupelo’s Seraphim is balls-out more conventionally brutal with a sound that flirts with a post-apocalyptic, mid-period Neurosis, the southern-ish swagger of pre-major label Mastodon and maybe a little of Celestial-era Isis for good measure. Even though they’re referencing a definitive time and (fucking classic) place of extreme music’s developmental timeline, they still add enough of their own discordant edges and time-and-tempo fuckery to make their three song offering worthy of repeat spins. Full-length to come before the year’s end. -

Scenepointblank:
Seraphim created a good bit of buzz with an EP release last year on A389. What the Ep proved is that this 3 piece was capable of creating an immense amount of power with very little bells and whistles to speak of. While many bands are capable of making a memorable first release very few can take those strengths and make them work in the context of a full length release.
The bands strengths remain the same the atmospheric interludes, heavy sludge riffing, and demented vocals all feel right at home here just as they did on the EP. Sharing a certain kinship with labelmates Caulfield they lean towards long song structures that accentuate the notes and space between the brutality. The band would find more of a kinship with their southern metal brethren rather than what could be described as hardcore.
The album begins with a short introduction employing a distant melody using guitar this can only be described as cleansing ones auditory palate for what is to come. of the course of 50 minutes Seraphim utilize hallmarks of many genres. The band mainly relies on shoegaze and sludge to build a mesmerizing result across the albums' span.
While most songs span well over 5 minutes no second seems wasted. Everything feels well thought out making the most to build atmosphere and overall stronger structures than most bands that venture into similar territory musically. The production is spot on giving more clarity to the instruments that the vocals creating the impression that the vocals are amongst the instruments rather than the focal point of any given song. This trick helps to leave the listener within the pocket of the song rather than letting them be jarred out of the bands overall hypnotic quality.
Seraphim, with this release have truly proved capable of making a strong full length while maintaining some semblance of growth withing their sound. This all leads me to believe that if many loud music fans were to give this record the time it deserves Seraphim would become the next Mastodon. The opportunity for this 3 piece to build artistic and likable records is something that many bands never have the capability to do. Hopefully the record buying public agrees and supports them.

8.7 / 10 — Jon E. - Jon E.

Razorcake:
I’d heard a bunch of buzz about this band, but I’m always so slow to check out anything that mentions a Neurosis or Isis influence. I don’t even know why. I love those two bands, but it just seemed like for a few years there, every hardcore buzz band was name-dropping Neurosis like they could ever hope of beginning to deliver upon that massive promise, and the whole thing became a real snorefest for me. That said, when A389 has something to say, I’m quick to listen, and I’m glad I did in this case. Sure, Seraphim play slow, heavy-as-shit, dark hardcore, but that’s about where the Neur/Isis parallels stop for me. The Light in the Distance is a musician’s tour de force, running the dynamic gamut from whisper to scream, from the heaviest lows to the most melodious highs. Fans of the aforementioned heavyweights should certainly take note, but I assure you, Seraphim’s appeal reaches much further than that sometimes limited niche. Highly recommended. –Dave Williams -