New York rock band Sylar have become one of the bigger stories in the music scene as of late. While 2014 debut album To Whom It May Concern delivered a solid dose of nu-metalcore, there was plenty more bubbling on the surface. It was on 2016’s Help! that the band truly came into their own, refining their sound to become more accessible, but also quite a bit more distinct. With their 3rd full-length, Seasons, Sylar refines their sound in mostly positive ways, engaging the listener in the process.
It’s important to note that Sylar aren’t as aggressive here as they were even on their previous record, opting for a mostly mid-tempo approach that will surely draw in some new fans. This isn’t a bad thing, as the band has a knack for crafting massive hooks and memorable choruses, especially on tracks like the opening, title track, and “No Way”, an easy choice for a crossover hit.
While there’s a few songs here that aren’t necessarily great, rarely does anything on Seasons feel like complete filler. Vocalists Jayden Panesso and Miguel Cardona have clearly developed, especially on the aforementioned “No Way” and album closer “Doubt Me”, the latter of which is destined to be a fan favorite and instantly relatable to boot.
Overall, Seasons is a solid response to the success of Help!. While not as heavy as their previous work (save the excellent “Same Dance”, which features some big, fat, crunchy riffs), Sylar proves adept at making rap/rock tunes with plenty of hooks and lots of ambition. Pair that with instantly relatable (but not cliched!) subject matter, and you have a real winner here.
