There are some bands that become part of the soundtrack to your life, and for me, Seether are absolutely one of those bands.
Over the years, their music has been there through the heavy moments, the reflective moments, the angry moments, and those times where you just need to crank something loud enough to shake the walls and clear the head. So getting the chance to catch up once again with Seether bassist Dale Stewart for Crannk.com was an absolute bloody pleasure.
This was actually my third time chatting with Dale. We first caught up around the Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum and Wasteland era, then again in 2024 for The Surface Seems So Far, which was an album I really connected with. Now, Seether are back with their latest digital EP, Beneath The Surface, out now through Fantasy Records and Concord.
The EP features two previously unreleased studio tracks, ‘Into The Ground’ and ‘Proud Daddy’, along with live SiriusXM Octane versions of ‘Lost All Control’ and ‘Judas Mind’. It is a compact release, but it carries a lot of weight. Rather than feeling like a random add on, Beneath The Surface feels like another look into the world Seether were building with The Surface Seems So Far. It digs a little deeper into that same emotional space, where dark honesty, heavy riffs, and melody all collide in that unmistakable Seether way.
When I caught up with Dale, the chat started where all good Seether chats apparently should start these days, with a bit of cricket banter and a laugh before diving into the music. From there, we spoke about how the band’s pace has changed in recent years. Seether were once known as a band that seemed to always be on the road, but these days Dale, Shaun Morgan and the rest of the band are finding a bit more balance between music, touring and family.
Dale spoke openly about being a dad, having young kids at home, and how the band are in a place now where they can be more selective with touring. After more than two decades of hard work, constant travel and paying their dues, that balance feels deserved. It does not sound like Seether are slowing down creatively, but it does feel like they have found a healthier way to keep doing this without burning themselves out.
That theme of balance runs through the new EP as well. Beneath The Surface gives fans both sides of Seether. You get the studio material that did not make the last album but still deserved its moment, and you get the live recordings that capture the band’s energy in a rawer setting.
‘Proud Daddy’ was a big point of discussion, and it is easy to hear why Dale was happy to see that track finally get its chance to shine. He described it as one of those slightly weird, left of centre songs that may not sound exactly like a typical Seether track at first, but once Shaun’s voice comes in, it instantly becomes Seether. That is one of the things I have always loved about this band. They can move around a bit, try something different, push into a stranger mood or melody, but the heart of Seether is always there.
The title ‘Proud Daddy’ also naturally opened up a deeper part of the chat around fatherhood. Dale spoke about how having kids changed everything for him, how becoming a dad was a full reset, and how it affects the way he sees life, music and the decisions he makes. It was one of those honest, human moments that goes beyond the usual music interview stuff. You can hear how much family means to him, but you can also hear how much he still loves getting up on stage and feeling that rush from a crowd.
Then there is ‘Into The Ground’, which is an absolute belter of a track. From the moment it kicks in, it has that brooding Seether atmosphere before opening up into something heavier and more direct. Dale talked about it having an old school Seether feel, almost like those early garage days where the band could just go for it without anyone trying to smooth the edges off.
That really says a lot about where Seether are now. After all the albums, all the radio success, all the touring and the industry pressure that comes with being a band of their size, they sound comfortable enough to trust themselves. There is no need to chase whatever is happening around them. They know who they are, and ‘Into The Ground’ feels like a reminder that Seether can still hit bloody hard when they want to.
We also got into the importance of heavier songs in the live set. Over the years, Seether have had plenty of massive radio songs, and a lot of those tend to lean into the more melodic or stripped back side of the band. But tracks like ‘Judas Mind’ and ‘Into The Ground’ bring that heavier energy back into the room. Dale spoke about how important that dynamic is live, giving the set room to breathe before smashing people with something that hits harder.
The live side of Beneath The Surface comes through with the SiriusXM Octane versions of ‘Lost All Control’ and ‘Judas Mind’. Dale shared a funny behind the scenes story about being nervous during that session after a rather big night in Nashville, but the performances came out strong enough that the band wanted fans to hear them properly. Those tracks capture that live spark, where Seether’s songs take on a slightly different life outside the studio.
As a bass player, Dale has always had that grounded approach of serving the song first. We spoke about this in our last interview as well, and it came up again here. He is not interested in overplaying or trying to turn a Seether track into some flashy bass clinic. His role is about holding everything together, giving the guitars, vocals and emotion a place to sit, and making sure the song hits the way it needs to. For a band like Seether, where the strength often comes from simplicity, weight and feeling, that approach makes perfect sense.
Of course, I could not let Dale go without asking about Australia. The last time we spoke, we got sidetracked talking about cricket, rugby, South Africans in Australia and how much the band have always enjoyed coming down here. At the moment, there are no locked in plans for Seether to return to Australia, but Dale knows the fans here are still waiting. He spoke warmly about the country, about seeing those comments from Aussie fans asking the band to come back, and even floated the idea that a future tour could become a bit of a family trip as well.
So, we will keep the hope alive down here.
For now, Seether fans have Beneath The Surface to crank loud. It is a short release, but it adds another layer to the band’s current chapter and gives ‘Into The Ground’ and ‘Proud Daddy’ the moment they deserve. It also shows that after all these years, Seether are still doing what they have always done best: writing songs that are heavy, honest, emotional and unmistakably their own.
In the full interview, Dale Stewart talks about the new EP, why ‘Proud Daddy’ stood out to him, the heavier edge of ‘Into The Ground’, fatherhood, touring balance, the SiriusXM Octane live recordings, his role as a bass player, and the hope of getting Seether back to Australia.
STREAM/ORDER Beneath The Surface here: https://ffm.to/seether-beneaththesurface
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