ROCK 'N' ROLL Seether tours with friends

By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Out supporting its latest album "Karma and Effect" since last summer, rock outfit Seether had a choice to make regarding whether or not to join the 2006 Winterfresh SnoCore tour.
Considering the wintertime miniversion of Ozzfest would be visiting many of the same cities the quartet had already played, the saturation of the concert marketplace was a concern.
Then the band learned its friends in Shinedown would be co-headlining the bill, and the decision quickly became obvious.
"Because Shinedown can hold their own, it will be cool to go with them and have two headliners," said Seether guitarist Pat Callahan, calling from his home in Philadelphia.
"Both of us have been through these towns like eight or nine times. So it should be cool to go and have a great bill. You get more bang for the buck."
He added, "It makes you feel loved to see that the hard work pays off and you can keep going back to these towns and slowly but surely, more kids come out each time. It's just a good feeling."
SnoCore's evolution
Originally started roughly a decade ago as more of a cold weather version of Lollapalooza, with a decidedly alternative band lineup (including stints by Sublime, No Doubt and Galactic), SnoCore has evolved into more of a rock-radio showcase -- last year's bill included Chevelle and Crossfade -- for up-and-coming acts, which makes it a perfect place for Seether.
Fronted by South African expatriate vocalist Shaun Morgan, Seether arrived on the rock scene in 2002 with its debut disc "Disclaimer." However, it wasn't until the band released the single "Broken" from "The Punisher" soundtrack that audiences began to give Seether the attention it deserved. Featuring vocals by Evanescence's Amy Lee, who Morgan was dating at the time, the movie song was lighter than the rest of the band's material.
Wanting to set the record straight, Seether's follow-up, "Karma and Effect," found the foursome perhaps overcompensating for its newfound lighter image by taking off the gloves and getting down and dirty with the riffs and grooves.
"Before we did 'Karma and Effect,' the stuff we were kind of digging was a little more heavier," Callahan recalled. "We were coming off a song like 'Broken,' and then the next single was 'Remedy,' and it was cool to see people were, like, the rock song!"
Feb. 19 in Struthers
With SnoCore running through early spring, including a Feb. 19 date at the Struthers Fieldhouse, Seether plans on heading overseas for South African and European dates before deciding whether or not to return to the road stateside next summer. Callahan, who admits another jaunt may be overkill, hints the band has already talked about its next studio project, which once again may catch fans off guard.
"There was some talk about doing an acoustic record but right now we're just concentrating on touring this record," Callahan said.
When asked whether such a move may seem similar to what hard rock act Godsmack did a few years ago by releasing an uncharacteristic unplugged album, Callahan quipped in true rock'n'roll fashion, "Only cooler."