Unearth

The March

Metal Blade/Universal

Andre Mihsin (CHARTattack)

10/30/2008 12:14pm

Unearth were one of the better bands that helped usher in the metalcore movement earlier in the decade. They had a hardcore/punk sensibility and guitarists Buz McGrath and Ken Susi perfected the modern breakdown that has since been ripped off by countless bands. While they certainly deserve props for not going down the emo-style singing route of their peers Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall, Unearth's last record got a bit repetitive and you began to wonder if the band had reached their creative peak. That doubt is immediately erased within the first couple of songs on The March. For a band who was once in danger of getting lost in the shuffle with a bunch of anonymous metalcore acts, Unearth have reinvented themselves with one of the most well arranged metal albums of the year. If you liked "Zombie Autopilot," a standout from their album The Oncoming Storm album, you're going to love this record. McGrath and Susi deliver their best dual guitar riffs ever, while singer Trevor Phipps never compromises his hardcore vocal style and instead allows his band to help make the songs catchy whether it's with a subtle drum beat or a vintage breakdown. The March definitely solidifies Unearth as one of the best bands of the so-called New Wave Of American Heavy Metal.