I Don’t Know How But They Found Me’s latest album release, Gloom Division, provides nothing but a diluted rendition of the band’s old sounds.
IDKHow is known for creating eccentric and unique sounds with inspiration from classic emo bands, modern technological genres, and heavily used ’80s synthesizers. Gloom Division portrays a variation of these sounds that does not reach the level of quality as the band’s previous releases.
While the tracks still resemble a shell of I Don’t Know How’s former sound, it seems hollow with one major missing piece – Ryan Seaman.
IDKHow began as a secret duo project, combining the creative genius of Panic at the Disco’s bassist and vocalist Dallon Weekes with Falling in Reverse’s drummer Ryan Seaman, who had previously worked together on a side project called The Brobecks. However, the two have recently split due to personal differences, and Weekes took control of the IDKHow title.
This split is incredibly prominent in Gloom Division.
Without a doubt, Weekes is still an incredibly talented musician, and his vocals and bass skills are on par. Regardless, the lyrics and overall artistry of the album fall short without Seaman’s input.
The biggest highlight of the album, undoubtedly, is “A Letter,” which features a recording of a common bit Weekes performs at his concerts, encouraging the crowd to sing harmony. The track creates a beautiful ode to longtime fans of the band, and comes close to filling the noticeable void within the album.
IDKHow’s artistic expression was refreshing at one point, relative to most bland modern alternative bands. But Gloom Division only appears to be a dull continuation of the band’s fantastic original sound.
