In
Helmet's twenty years over a dozen musicians backed up Page Hamilton, and with the exception of
Chris Traynor, who played bass for
Helmet's previous two albums,
Seeing Eye Dog boasts another new lineup. Yet, with every shift, it seems Hamilton distances himself from the band’s golden years in the early ‘90s. Now with guitarist Dan Beeman and drummer Kyle Stevenson, the group sounds heavier and angrier. Those looking to hear the classic sound clash of alt-metal and post-punk that gave the band roots should stick with the first three records. Even so, in this new incarnation, when
Helmet sidesteps the typical drop-D Modern Rock that makes up the majority of
Seeing Eye Dog (as well as
Size Matters and Monochrome), things get really interesting. Shoegaze and power pop are slipped into “LA Water,” the
Foo-Fighters-esque “In Person” focuses on tight melodies, and a sweeping string instrumental titled “Morphing” shows off Hamilton's abilities to craft moods as a Hollywood composer. [Some editions of
Seeing Eye Dog included a bonus disc of
Helmet performing live in San Francisco on the 2006 Warped Tour.] ~ Jason Lymangrover