Nautical hard rock storytelling

Legend of the Seagullmen’s debut self-titled album, Legend of the Seagullmen is energetic, powerful and exciting. From start to end, each song is a masterpiece in its own right, leading to a phenomenal debut record. The group consists of Danny Carey from Tool on drums, Brent Hinds from Mastodon and Jimmy Hayward on guitar, vocals by David Dreyer, Peter Griffin on bass and Chris DiGiovanni on synthesizer. The supergroup has created a fantastic album, one that definitely solidifies their place in the hard rock genre.

The album starts with “We Are the Seagullmen” and like the title indicates, it’s a perfect way to introduce the band and the album. It starts off with sounds from a boating dock, with ship bells ringing, and seagulls cawing in the distance. It then launches into a great guitar riff before the vocals begin. The chorus repeats the title of the song, thus engraving it in the listener’s memories. Arguably one of the best songs on the album, even for those who aren’t fans of the genre, it’s a catchy song that will make you want to listen to more. The next song on the album is “The Fogger” which falls more into the hard rock style that the band has taken as their own. What makes Legend of the Seagullmen stand out, however, is the storytelling technique that they take in their songs. “The Fogger” is a great example of that, as it feels like a legend is being told to the listeners. Plus, the fantastic guitar at the end wraps it up as a great addition to the album.

Two other songs of note on the album are “Legend of the Seagullmen” and “The Orca.” “Legend of the Seagullmen” takes a bit of a retro rock feeling to it. The chorus is very reminiscent of an ’80s rock song, however, the surrounding verses retain the creepy vibe that parts of this album have. It’s another fun song with recognizable lyrics. Much like “We Are the Seagullmen,” it continues to solidify the name of the band to the listeners and enforces the group as a force to be reckoned with. “The Orca” starts out psychedelic, before launching into pseudo-screamo rock. With a title like “The Orca,” the style of the song stands out, especially considering some of the lyrics of the song describes what an orca physically looks like. But like everything else on the album, this song works well, utilizing the storytelling techniques of the band and the rock styles they do well.

The album ends with “Ballad of the Deep Sea Diver.” This song starts off with a western guitar riff, before telling a story of a deep-sea diver. It’s a powerful song, with the synthesizer being very prominent throughout. It’s a great way to end the album, as it’s a dark sounding song, and the instruments are shown to their full capabilities.

Legend of the Seagullmen is available for purchase now. The rock world will definitely be seeing more of this incredible band if this first album is anything to go by.