by Derric Miller
— Managing Editor —
One of the most unique bands making music today is SOM, emphasized by their new release The Shape of Everything. You can call them alt-this and post-that, or even “shoegaze.” That’s the most passive genre title ever; compare it to Thrash Metal. Now there’s a verb, thrash! All that aside, you can’t really define SOM, so why bother even trying to paint them into a corner?
The new album takes you on the journey with “Moment,” the most antiseptic chaotic song you’ve heard in a while. It’s heavy, but dripping with melody, and the cold music is offset by singer Will Benoit’s vocals. He’s mellow, never striving for a note … almost crooning, like the softest Toad the Wet Sprocket vocals. It clashes in a genius way with the somewhat noisy opener … it just fits.
“Animals” is up next, and there’s soft, spoken word poetry accompanying tethered guitar leads. You don’t get ripping solos with SOM; it’s not what they do. Instead it’s an atmospheric airy track, and like everything on the album, listenable AF.
“Shape” is as mainstream as they get. There’s an outline to the composition, instead of an airy ebb and flow. The more you digest the contrast between Benoit’s vocals and the music, the more you’ll dig the band. It does take a few listens to understand where they are coming from, but keep listening, because it’ll grow on you.
“Wrong” is a radio-friendly track as well. It’s got an ’80s pop sensibility, while still thumping rhythmically. It just sounds like a hit song, whatever that means today. Likely the best song on The Shape of Everything.
“Sons of Winter” closes the release, and makes it all make sense. This song grinds, while ever mellifluous, and you’ll feel both a sense of longing and of acceptance in the music.
If you have to knock the album, then it’d be a lot of the songs are too similar. It’ll take far more than a dozen listens before you can pick out which song it is by the opening notes. The same rhythms mostly pulse song to song. All that aside, few bands make you think like SOM does. This isn’t bang your head party music; it probably involves nature’s herb, though, after a hectic day/week. For the curious, check them out. This is not cookie-cutter music; for better or worse, SOM is its own animal, and you just can’t shove them in the corner and easily discern the Why? of SOM.
Genre: Post-rock, Atmospheric Metal, Shoegaze, Hard Rock
Band:
Will Benoit – vocals, guitars
Justin Forrest – bass
Mike Repasch-Nieves – guitars
Joel M. Reynolds – guitars
Duncan Rich – drums
Tracklisting:
1. Moment
2. Animals
3. Center
4. Shape
5. Clocks
6. Wrong
7. Heart Attack
8. Son of Winter
Label: Pelagic Records
Online:
https://www.som.band/
Hardrock Haven rating: 
(7.8 / 10)