Unearth - Darkness in the Light
Rating
RIYL
Full Blown ChaosAs I Lay Dying
Darkest Hour
Killswitch Engage
Release Date
07/05/2011
Label
Metal BladeTracklist
1."Watch It Burn"2."Ruination Of The Lost"
3."Shadows Of The Light"
4."Eyes Of Black"
5."Last Wish"
6."Arise The War Cry"
7."Equinox"
8."Coming Of The Dark"
9."The Fallen"
10."Overcome"
11."Disillusion"
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Consistency seems to be lacking in the metalcore scene nowadays. Everyone is changing with the tides just to make a quick buck. There are a few names you can pull off the top of your head that keep their sound and remain a staple name in this watered down scene, however. The biggest of these names is without a doubt Unearth. These dudes having been pushing out hits for over a decade now, and it seems as though they aren’t stopping anytime soon. Their latest effort, Darkness in the Light, is your standard Unearth album but with a bit of a refreshing twist to it as it’s laced with monster breakdowns, fast paced two-steps and a decent amount of tasteful and melodic choruses. It’s safe to say that after their last release, The March, longtime fans might not be rushing to pick this album up since that album, unfortunately, was an utter disappointment. However, don’t stray too far you dismal metal-heads, this isn’t The Oncoming Storm but it’s definitely a great reason to drift away from what the Hot Topic mallrats are currently jocking.
“Watch It Burn” is the album’s appetizer and holy shit does it leave a great taste in your mouth. The first thing to be noticed about this song, and the album in general, are the production values--they're dead on. The opening guitar lick will have fans throwing their horns up and spinning the fuck out of their greasy ass hair. This particular track hosts every aspect of Unearth’s musical capabilities: impeccable drum work by current fill-in drummer Justin Foley of Killswitch Engage fame, fast-paced finger work by guitarists Buz McGrath and Ken Susi, driving bass riffs by John Maggard and of course Phipps’ ability to simply dominate the vocals. Needless to say, “Watch It Burn” is the perfect introductory track for this album and for all the haters that thought their career was over after The March. Like double bass? Of course you do. Then keeping moving right along to “Ruination of the Lost” which is about three and a half minutes of a drummer’s wet dream; couple that with the following track “Shadows in the Light” and you have two tracks that sound like Killswitch Engage before they started releasing their recorded bowel movements.
The first single released off of this album is “Eyes of Black,” and boy what a beast of a track it is. “Eyes of Black” is the track of tracks for hardcore kids to get their “dance” on to. Drenched with two-steps and some whiskey-influenced, southern breakdowns, it’s a sure win for all those sporting mesh shorts. “Arise the War Cry” is definitely the musical version of meth. It encompasses all levels of metal--fast paced and precise guitar work and enough melodic harmonies to put your beer in the air and gently bang your head. This song is probably one of the more progressive tracks we have heard from Unearth, and it is unquestionably one of the stand-out tracks on this album. However, it’s the album closer that really stamps the seal of approval on this album. Vocally, it’s the most brutal display put out by Phipps thus far. And right before the halfway mark of the track is a monster exhibition of outright anger, both lyrically and instrumentally.
Darkness in the Light is the cement that will hold these dudes in place in the metalcore Hall of Fame. It’s the middle finger to all who have turned their back on this band in the last few years. Is this album changing the game? No. But is it showing these wannabe metalcore outfits like August Burns Red how it’s supposed to be done? Yes. This album is the definition of maturity. Unearth are now the wise old men in a game full of rookies that think they know it all. So in the words of my father to all the young bucks that think they know more than their elders, “Respect the gray-beard.” Unearth is back on their grind and ready to take the metalcore scene by storm yet again.
--Bill Lohr
Comments
Lehigh Valley, PA
Seriously, this album is gonna be at the top of my top ten this year. It's a beast of an album. So stoked that Unearth's back to making the hits again.
Minnesota
I really enjoy it too. Although I thought The March was a decent album. Obviously one of their weaker efforts, but I didn't think it was bad by any means. I'll probably spin this a few more times before final judgement, but so far it's stellar.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
I always though III was their weakest moment. This review has me interested to give it a listen.
Lehigh Valley, PA
Well ya have a while till it comes out but be sure to check it out when it drops.
Colorado
"these wannabe metalcore outfits like August Burns Red how it’s supposed to be done"
Haha... you're so silly. On a side note, I have found Unearth to be progressively uninteresting their past couple of releases, so hopefully this can bring back the spark they once had in my ears.