Karma and Effect

Last updated

Karma and Effect
Seetherkarmaandeffect.jpg
Studio album by
Seether
Released24 May 2005
Recorded5 October 2004 – 9 January 2005
Studio
  • Avatar, New York City, New York
  • Henson, Los Angeles, California
Genre Post-grunge, [1] alternative metal, nu metal
Length60:49
Label Wind-up
Producer Bob Marlette
Seether chronology
Disclaimer II
(2004)		Karma and Effect
(2005)		 Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces
(2007)
Singles from Karma and Effect
  1. "Remedy"
    Released: 11 April 2005
  2. "Truth"
    Released: 6 September 2005
  3. "The Gift"
    Released: 28 February 2006

Karma and Effect is the third studio album by South African rock band Seether. It was released on 24 May 2005 by Wind-up Records. It is the band's second and final album with guitarist Pat Callahan prior to his departure from the band in 2006.

Contents

Upon release, the album debuted in the top 10 of numerous national music charts. The album's lead single "Remedy" held the top spot on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for a total of eight weeks. [2] The second and third singles "Truth" and "The Gift", though not to the same extent, also found success on rock radio. Since its release, the album has sold upwards of 1 million units in the United States. It is certified platinum in the US and certified gold in Canada.

Recording and writing

After the success of their 2002 debut album Disclaimer, lead singer Shaun Morgan began writing new material for a new studio album. Most of the songs that would feature on Karma and Effect were written over the course of 2004 prior to entering the studio. [3]

During the writing and recording process, the band experienced multiple setbacks. Morgan initially wanted to title the album Catering to Cowards, but this was vetoed by Wind-up Records. In addition, Wind-up asked that the cover art be changed and Morgan was asked not to swear on any of the recordings. Morgan stated that the album was "the culmination of a lot of anger and fear of the music industry and the people that happen to have power over our careers." [3]

"Remedy" was one of the first songs to be written in the studio. In a 2022 interview with American Songwriter , Morgan explained the song's origin:

"I was in Los Angeles, and I would go to the producer’s house every day, and he had a studio in his garage. So he just handed me a guitar one day, and there was something about the guitar I just really loved playing, so I just started riffing and making stuff up. Then he said, 'Oh, that’s great, let’s run with that.' So we recorded the riff and he programmed drums to it, and then I came up with a verse, and we sort of built the song that way. I went back and we did the lyrics and vocals and that was the first single. [...] Wind-up was very adamant that we just go with the softer songs. [...] [W]hen 'Remedy' was chosen, there was a big fight, because the label didn't want us representing the heavier side of the band, so I was really happy we won that victory." [4]

In a 2013 Reddit AMA thread, Morgan stated that the lyrics to "Truth" were inspired by a "brutal dysfunctional relationship." He further commented that, for the song's music video, director Dean Karr was the first to propose casting mixed martial artist Tito Ortiz in the role of Uncle Sam. [5]

"The Gift" was vaguely described by Morgan as "a pretty personal song." [6] It was allegedly nearly shelved after Callahan repeatedly objected to the song each time Morgan showed it to the band prior to recording for the album. [7]

The title for the track "Burrito" was inspired by watching The Osbournes . "We didn't have a name for the song," Morgan recalled. "Ozzy was running around mumbling about spicy burritos. And it was one of those moments where it was like, this is a legendary man, but it's a different side of him. It seemed real vulnerable and real personal. So we just picked it because it was a tongue-in-cheek homage to Ozzy Osbourne." [8] The track was one of three songs written for the soundtrack to the 2003 film Daredevil, [9] but was scrapped in favor of their song "Hang On" from Disclaimer II .

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Because of Me"3:36
2."Remedy"3:27
3."Truth"3:50
4."The Gift"5:34
5."Burrito"3:51
6."Given"3:47
7."Never Leave"4:59
8."World Falls Away"4:40
9."Tongue"4:06
10."I'm the One"2:49
11."Simplest Mistake"5:28
12."Diseased"3:40
13."Plastic Man" (The actual song is 3:49, the rest of the song is five minutes of silence)8:48
14."Kom saam met my" (Hidden track, means "Come with Me" or "Join Me" in English, and is sung in Afrikaans)2:18
Total length:1:00:49

Personnel

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Entertainment Weekly B− [10]
musicOMH (mixed) [11]
Ultimate Guitar 9.5/10 [12]
Metal Underground3/5 [13]

Seether

Other personnel

Unreleased songs

Before the release of Karma and Effect, a blog post from the band on their website stated that there would be three B-side tracks for the album: "Let Me Go", "Innocence" and "Blister". "Let Me Go" was included on the B-side of the "Remedy" single. "Innocence" and "Blister" were never mixed or mastered but both songs, likely obtained off the album's demo tapes, were made available on a fan site for a short time. All of these songs were eventually included on the second disc of their greatest hits album, Seether: 2002-2013 .

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [22] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA) [23] Platinum1,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seether</span> South African rock band

Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng. Lead vocalist and guitarist Shaun Morgan is the band's longest serving member, bassist Dale Stewart joined shortly after formation while drummer John Humphrey joined for the band's second album. Guitarist Corey Lowery joined the band in 2018.

<i>Disclaimer II</i> 2004 studio album by Seether

Disclaimer II is the second studio album by South African rock band Seether. It is a recompilation of the band's first album, Disclaimer, from 2002. Although the 12 tracks from the original album are present, they were slightly remixed and differ from the original. Also, the majority of the remixed tracks feature additional lead guitar melodies with the addition of a permanent lead guitarist to the band's line-up prior to the release of the album. This is also the first Seether album to feature contributions from their current drummer John Humphrey. In Europe, the album includes four tracks more than its predecessor; in the United States, the album has eight extra tracks, some of which had been previously released on soundtracks, such as "Hang On," which had been featured on the 2003 Daredevil soundtrack and "Out of My Way," which had been featured on the soundtrack to the 2003 horror film Freddy vs. Jason as well as the 2017 film Transformers: The Last Knight. "Fine Again" also appeared on Madden NFL 2003 and 1080° Avalanche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaun Morgan</span> South African musician (born 1978)

Shaun Morgan Welgemoed is a South African musician. He is the lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Seether.

<i>Disclaimer</i> (Seether album) 2002 studio album by Seether

Disclaimer is the debut studio album by South African rock band Seether. The album was released on 20 August 2002. It features three successful singles which would remain some of the band's most well-known songs. It is their first release under their current name after changing it from Saron Gas in 2002 to avoid confusion with the deadly nerve agent sarin gas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remedy (Seether song)</span> 2005 single by Seether

"Remedy" is a song by South African rock band Seether. It is the second track on their album Karma and Effect, and was released as the album's lead single. It became their first single to hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, dropping and regaining the spot for a total of eight weeks at number one.

<i>One Cold Night</i> 2006 live album by Seether

One Cold Night is a live album by South African rock band Seether. It was released on 11 July 2006 and features twelve acoustic tracks, plus bonus DVD footage, recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Grape Street Club, on 22 February 2006. The album comprises live acoustic renditions of songs from the band's Fragile, Disclaimer, and Karma and Effect albums, a cover song, and a remixed version of "The Gift".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broken (Seether song)</span> 2004 single by Seether

"Broken" is a song by South African rock band Seether, first appearing on their debut album, Disclaimer (2002). It was reworked and recorded again in 2004, this time featuring American singer Amy Lee, the lead singer of Evanescence and then-girlfriend of Seether vocalist Shaun Morgan. It was included on the soundtrack to the 2004 Marvel Comics superhero film The Punisher, and was also on Seether's second studio album, Disclaimer II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gift (Seether song)</span> 2006 single by Seether

"The Gift" is a song by South African rock band Seether. It is the fourth track and third and final single off their album Karma and Effect.

<i>Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces</i> 2007 studio album by Seether

Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces is the fourth studio album by South African rock band Seether. The album was released in South Africa and Switzerland on 19 October 2007, and released worldwide on 23 October 2007. It is the first album by the band without lead guitarist Pat Callahan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fake It (Seether song)</span> Seether single

"Fake It" is a song by South African rock band Seether. It is the first single from the band's album Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces. The single quickly rose to number one on both the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts. It also reached number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100, the second highest of their singles after "Broken", which reached number 20. The single was certified platinum by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seether discography</span>

This is the general discography of the South African rock band Seether.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rise Above This</span> 2008 single by Seether

"Rise Above This" is a song by South African rock band Seether. It is the second single from the band's album Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces. It is the sixth track on the album and became the band's second consecutive number-one song on the U.S. Modern Rock chart.

<i>Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray</i> 2011 studio album by Seether

Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray is the fifth studio album by South African rock band Seether. It was the only Seether album to have Troy McLawhorn as the lead guitarist. He departed from the band just before the album's release, once again becoming the rhythm guitarist for the band Evanescence. It was released on 17 May 2011, and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Country Song (Seether song)</span> 2011 single by Seether

"Country Song" is a song by South African rock band Seether. It was released on March 8, 2011 as the lead single from their fifth studio album Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray.

<i>Isolate and Medicate</i> 2014 studio album by Seether

Isolate and Medicate is the sixth studio album by South African rock band Seether. It was released on 1 July 2014 by The Bicycle Music Company, in association with Concord Music Group and Spinefarm Records. It is the first Seether album to be released on a vinyl LP.

<i>Poison the Parish</i> 2017 studio album by Seether

Poison the Parish is the seventh studio album by South African rock band Seether. It was released on 12 May 2017. It is the band's first album to feature a new band logo on the cover. The first single, "Let You Down" was released on 23 February 2017. On 23 March 2017, the band released a new track titled "Stoke the Fire". On 13 April 2017, "Nothing Left" was released. On 5 May 2017, "Count Me Out" was released. On 9 August 2017, the album's second single, "Betray and Degrade" was released. On 8 April 2018, the album's third single, "Against the Wall", was released.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let You Down (Seether song)</span> 2017 single by Seether

"Let You Down" is a song by South African rock band Seether. It is the first single from their seventh studio album Poison the Parish. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 2017.

<i>Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum</i> (album) 2020 studio album by Seether

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum is the eighth studio album by South African rock band Seether. It was released on 28 August 2020 through Fantasy Records and was produced by lead vocalist Shaun Morgan. The album's first single, "Dangerous", was released ahead of the album in June 2020, as well as "Bruised and Bloodied" in July and "Beg" in August. A deluxe edition was released on 1 July 2022.

"Dangerous" is a song by South African rock band Seether. It is their first single from their eighth studio album Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in October 2020.

"Bruised and Bloodied" is a song by South African rock band Seether. It was their second single off of their album Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum. It topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 Kergan, Wade. "Karma and Effect - Seether". AllMusic . Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  2. ↑ "Seether Chart History - Mainstream Rock Airplay". Billboard . Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  3. 1 2 Wiederhorn, Jon (11 May 2005). "Seether Frontman Shaun Morgan Is Very Angry". MTV. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  4. ↑ Benitez-Eves, Tina (3 January 2022). "Seether Talk 20th Anniversary, Go 'Behind the Song' with Five Hits". American Songwriter . Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "r/Music - I'm Shaun Morgan, lead singer of Seether. AMA". Reddit . 10 December 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  6. ↑ "Seether Track by Track - "The Gift"". YouTube . 22 October 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  7. ↑ Rosen, Steven (14 August 2006). "Seether's Shaun Morgan: Going Acoustic Is More Than Comfortable". Ultimate Guitar . Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  8. ↑ MacIntosh, Dan (6 May 2013). "Shaun Morgan of Seether". SongFacts . Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "Interview with Shaun Morgan and Pat Callahan of Seether". Metal Underground. 20 May 2005. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  10. ↑ Wood, Mikael (20 June 2005). "Karma and Effect Review". Entertainment Weekly .
  11. ↑ Day, Tom (19 September 2005). "Seether - Karma and Effect". musicOMH . Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  12. ↑ "Karma And Effect Review". Ultimate Guitar.
  13. ↑ "Seether - "Karma and Effect"". Metal Underground. 30 November 2005. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  14. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Seether – Karma and Effect". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  15. ↑ "Top 100 Albums". Jam! . Archived from the original on 10 July 2005. Retrieved 21 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Seether – Karma and Effect". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  17. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Seether – Karma and Effect" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  18. ↑ "Charts.nz – Seether – Karma and Effect". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  19. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Seether – Karma and Effect". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  20. ↑ "Seether Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  21. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2005". Billboard. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  22. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Seether – Karma and Effect". Music Canada.
  23. ↑ "American album certifications – Seether – Karma and Effect". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 9 December 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.