ALBUM REVIEW: Unearth – The Wretched; The Ruinous


 

Everything is cyclical, isn’t it? These days I read numerous think pieces telling me how Nu-Metal is experiencing a revival. There are even young bands like Tetrarch and Tallah that openly identify themselves as being nu-metal acts. Would’ve never thought that possible ten years ago. No way. But yet here we are, and it seems like we all plan to attend the Coal Chamber show.

 

Call me crazy, but that isn’t the only subgenre or style that is gearing up for its second moment in the sun as there appears to be blood once again circulating the New Wave of American Heavy Metal’s remains. Did anyone else notice that Shadows Fall, God Forbid, and Chimaira all have recently reactivated? Well, if that didn’t capture your attention then maybe you should take a gander at what Unearth has cooked up in The Wretched; The Ruinous (Century Media).

 

Well, shouldn’t be too surprising to anyone that has followed their career that Unearth has yet another banger to add to the catalog. After all, this is the follow-up to Extinction(s) which showed these gentlemen were still chock full of venom. However, this time around they could no longer rely on the services of one Ken Susi who departed the band in 2022 and signaled the breakup of one of the great guitar tandems in heavy music.

 

But judging from the sonic assault and lacerating lead guitar work on ‘Eradicator’ it appears that lead guitarist Buz McGrath has found another killer collaborator in Peter Layman. The dynamic duo keeps things going on ‘Mother Betrayal’ and illustrates that much like in vintage Arch Enemy or At The Gates tracks that clean vocals aren’t needed when the guitar melodies provide all the hooks and earworms needed on an album.

 

Then there’s the mad thrash carpet bombing that is ‘Invictus.’ This one may feature a stenosis-inducing breakdown, but it isn’t Metalcore as much as it’s Unearth throwing their hat in the melodic thrash ring that Sylosis and Trivium like to occupy.

 

 

Since we’re talking thrash, rhythm guitar enthusiasts will especially like riff propelling ‘Dawn of the Militant.’ An excellent showcase for Mike Justian whose clobbering beats keep driving the musical bullet train forward.

 

As interesting as it has been to see nu-metal make its return, I’m ready for the new wave to make another splash.

 

Buy the album here:

https://unearth.lnk.to/TheWretchedTheRuinousID

 

9 / 10

HANS LOPEZ