The Surface Seems So Far is unapologetically aggressive, kicking off with the barn-burning "Judas Mind." This isn't to say the album doesn't have moments of melancholy, like "Regret." The record takes many twists and turns, emphasizing catchy hooks and driving bombast. Songs like the chunky but atmospheric "Illusion," the pulsating "Lost All Control," the dynamic neo-grunge of "Same Mistakes," and the moving and immersive "Dead on the Vine" are massive additions to the Seether catalog. Seether sounds alternately confident and confessional, full of vitriol and vulnerability.