"Let You Down" is a song by South African rock band

Seether Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The band originally performed under the name Saron Gas until 2002, when they moved to the United States and changed it to Seether to avoid confusion wi ...

. It is the first single off of their seventh studio album ''

Poison the Parish ''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 Febr ...

''. It peaked at number one on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Mainstream Rock Songs Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in Ma ...

chart in 2017.

Background

The song was first revealed on February 23, 2017, the same day the band announced their seventh album – ''

''. A

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...

was released on the same day of the song's release, which features many ominous, masked and cloaked

carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival ...

-themed people roaming through an open field. The footage cuts back and forth between the figures and the band performing in a dark, secluded cabin.

Composition and themes

The track was self-

produced Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

by band

frontman The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...

and lead vocalist

Shaun Morgan Shaun Morgan Welgemoed (, born 21 December 1978) is a South African musician. He is the singer, songwriter, and guitarist for the rock band Seether. Early life Morgan spent most of his early life in South Africa.Bottomley, CSeether: South Af ...

, and was meant to represent the band's return to a heavier rock sound found in their earlier albums.

Loudwire ''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August of 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive ...

described the chorus as being "a little bit of an emotional reprieve" to the song's verses, calling it "sonically uplifting, but lyrically

despondent Depression is a mental state of low mood and aversion to activity, which affects more than 280 million people of all ages (about 3.5% of the global population). Classified medically as a mental and behavioral disorder, the experience of ...

." A few publications noted a similarity in the

guitar riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...

and

chord progression In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...

of the song to Chevelle's 2014 single "

Take Out the Gunman "Take Out the Gunman" is a song by American rock band Chevelle. It is the lead single from the band's seventh studio album, ''La Gárgola''. The song debuted on February 3, 2014, via the band's Vevo and YouTube channel, with the single being re ...

Live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music * Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of album ...

's 1997 single " Lakini's Juice" and

Tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ba ...

's 1996 single "

Stinkfist "Stinkfist" is a song by the American metal band Tool. It is their first industry single and first music video release from their second major label album '' Ænima''. Interpretation The song title, the lyrics and the perceived subject matter ...

Personnel

– lead vocals, guitar *

Dale Stewart Dale William Stewart (born 30 November 1979) is a South African musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the South African rock band Seether Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Afric ...

– bass * John Humphrey – drums

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{authority control Seether songs 2017 songs 2017 singles Songs written by Shaun Morgan