“Beneath the waves I can still see the sun.”
Another Sacramento-based post-hardcore unit enters the fray as The Seafloor Cinema readies themselves for the release of their third album. The self-titled effort follows up 2021’s In Cinemascope With Stereophonic Sound and sees the trio continue to hone in on their own particular take on the sub-genre they sit in.
Opener “Mercury in Gatorade” is immediately reminiscent of standout cut “Crash Nebula… On Ice!” from the group’s aforementioned sophomore record, with the opening lines’ melody serving as a subdued callback to the track. Vocalist Justin Murry’s distinctive voice lends itself to the catchy melodicism that is a key component of The Seafloor Cinema’s sound. The track steadily gains momentum as it progresses, ultimately reaching full bloom with a chorus that is simple yet effective. The introduction of screaming vocals on this record from guitarist Seth Lawrenson is a welcome addition to the group’s sound, helping add more depth to their identity as a group and bringing them up to speed with their contemporaries in the scene.
“If This Were a Film” carries on the momentum from there. Making his first musical appearance in nearly two years, alternative pop-punk artist Onlyfriend rounds the track off in satisfying fashion. His verse in the back half of the song helps elevate the track, another of which is hampered by some lackluster lyricism. While the next track “Geese Attack!!!” begins to step things up lyrically, there is a sense of things taking one step forward and two steps back as the dreaded sing-a-long woah-woahs make an appearance. The song’s structure, paired with the noodly guitar work and funky bass typical of the genre, help keep things moving at a brisk pace.
“Crop Top Sorority” weaves some interesting synth work throughout its runtime. While the electronic elements bring a unique touch to the track that helps it stand out on the album, the mix feels crowded with the synth ever-present and lurking throughout. Single “Oakland’s Finest Glass Beaches” sees a more reserved vocal performance from Murry, but is topped off by an effective screamed breakdown section. The bit of horns hidden in the final chorus is a nice touch, though they would be more appreciated if they had been made a prominent feature of the track à la “Rayla” from the group’s previous record.
Mid-point “Dolly Parton vs. the Government” offers a nice variety of guitar textures with its crunchy, lively opening riff and cleaned up, tappy verse runs, with Murray’s vocals doing well to match the shifting nature of the track. “The Lesson (.44 Magnum)” starts off the back half of the record with gusto. The feature from Aaron Pauley (Of Mice & Men, Jamie’s Elsewhere) helps bring some real heft to the track, his back-and-forth verse with Lawrenson providing the album its heaviest moments.
“Take Drugs! Kill a Bear!” sees Murry pushing his singing farther with a soaring chorus to go along with Lawrenson’s continually gratifying screamed vocals. Generally unoffensive, the track is a safe cut late in the album. Following track “Jacob Cracks the Liberty Bell” utilizes its electronic/synth elements in more appropriate fashion than “Crop Top Sorority” did, providing a much more pleasant mix this time around. The standout characteristic of this track, for better or for worse, are the vocal effects in the second verse. Thankfully nowhere near as egregious as the vocal effects used on “Drip God” from the previous record, the affected vocals are an interesting textural switch-up, and paired with the instrumentals of the track, the combination feels reminiscent of Daft Punk’s “Digital Love”.
Pretty vocals and guitars stand out on “The Sun in Reverse”, though it is another safe track in the latter half of the record. Penultimate track “Deeth Starr Valley” sees a feature from the ever-busy pulses. and injects the record with some more grit and an extra shot of energy in its closing stretch. The track builds well to closer “Paper Places Burning In Paris”, where Murry’s impassioned vocals and the instrumental outro tie the record up neatly, ending on a grander note than the one the record started on.
There is a sense of charisma and quirkiness to The Seafloor Cinema’s sound that gives them an undeniably fun quality and truly allows their personality to shine through their music and set them apart from their contemporaries. While the creative risks taken across their self-titled record work to varying degrees of success, the group’s evolved sound and the moments that do pay off help keep the record fresh. The keen sense of poppy melodicism that helps carry The Seafloor Cinema’s sound additionally provides an accessible entry point for those who might be diving into the Sacramento post-hardcore scene for the first time.
6.5/10
The Seafloor Cinema is set to release Friday December 1st via Pure Noise Records. Pre-orders and merch for the record can be found here.