Neo-grunge group Seether took nearly a year to write and track their new album, 'Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray,' which dropped May 17. But the result was worth it: Dirty, grungy nuggets like 'Pass Slowly' and 'Tonight' move and groove, with a smart focus on heavy choruses, hooky melodies and explosive guitars.

Lead singer and songwriter Shaun Morgan says the guys took their time on the album and "really concentrated on making the songs better than the ones on our last album."

"Musically, we tried some new things and expanded our horizons, because I feel like you have to keep growing as a band," he told Gibson. "If you don’t, then you just stagnate and become one of those bands that gets boring because you’re doing the same thing all the time."

As for the South African trio's current No. 1 active rock hit 'Country Song,' the title is in no way an indicator Seether will be soaking up the country rays anytime soon.

"What I like is that the verse is kind of country sounding, but then it just explodes into a hard rock song, out of nowhere," he said. "The combination, I think, is really interesting, and that’s why it’s called, 'Country Song,' because we were recording in Nashville and the verses have that feel. It’s not a country record, but it sounded country in that riff. It was the working title and tongue-and-cheek, but we decided to keep it."

Score tickets to see Seether at Wingstock 2011 in Comstock Park, Mich., all this week on the Banana with Maggie Meadows, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.! Hinder, Sick Puppies and Grand Rapids' Wayland are also on tap for the Saturday, June 11, show at Fifth Third Ballpark.

More From Banana 101.5