Unearth - III: In The Eyes Of Fire Review [2]
Posted by John Malady on 01.16.2007
When Slayer pick your band to open for them on tour then there is no doubt you are a full throttle, top notch metal band and upon you has been bestowed a great duty and honor. Unearth have been given that honor for Slayer's current tour of the U.S. and they are indeed worthy of this duty. Now come inside and find out why I think so and why you should as well!
Unearth is an all killer, no filler true metal band. Unearth III: In the Eyes of Fire is a beautifully brutal record that has a sincere ambience about it and as you listen to it you are never let down or led astray. This record holds you in its grip until it is done with you not the other way around. Unearth effortlessly blend past, present, and future styles of metal together and do not let up their fierce attack until the last track comes to an end. There is a balance to this record and it just gets better and better upon every listen. I find many of the songs stick with me long after I have heard them and this creates the desire to hear them again as soon as possible. When a record can infect a person like that it is a rare and special circumstance that should be recognized and appreciated by the listener.
I find that even though Unearth are an insanely heavy band they also have a real knack for song structure by letting their riffs have space instead of constantly changing direction. There are so many memorable riffs on this record that invoke that old school metal purity before critics chopped the genre into a million sub-genres. Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax are most likely influences on these guys but in actuality one can pick out so many types of metal bands inside Unearth’s sound that they cannot be compared to any other band specifically. Unearth have their own sound and not only is it for the present metal fan to enjoy but I feel they properly give homage to the pioneers of heavy metal constantly inside of their sound. A brutal scream is heard on top of a Maiden style guitar melody that breaks down into a hardcore NYC punk vibe before a total monster made for moshing riff leads the charge into a headbangers delight of horse gallop metal fury. It is easy to hear why Slayer are taking a band like Unearth out on the road with them and that is because this band kicks ass and has the same uncompromising style and vision that has made Slayer the legends they are today. Unearth isn’t trying to get you to understand what they are all about, you either are going to get it or you are going to get the hell out of there with the shit still running down your leg because they are too heavy for you.
Unearth also have something special for the ones who do not run away in fear and that is when you read the lyrics separately as well as with the music you realize that there is poetry being shouted, growled, and screamed at you from lyricist and singer Trevor Phipps. He writes about his life experiences and the words are filled with revelations of hope, fear, and confusion as well as the need and desire to understand oneself inside and their place in the world around them. For the style of music Unearth play these poetic revelations and questions are refreshing and multi-dimensional rather than just being filled and fueled by anger as the primary ingredient.
The 411: Unearth is without question a great metal band whose sound consciously pays tribute to the history of heavy metal as well as shaping the future of its evolution as a musical genre. Unearth not only deserve to be on tour with the legendary Slayer but they deserve their spot in the halls of legend amongst the best of the genre. If you are a metal fan and do not have this in your collection then you owe it to yourself to pick up III: In the Eyes of Fire by Unearth and raise your fist to this glorious nightmare.
