Unearth - Watchers of Rule (2014)^{Release ID: 4176}

Hailing from Massachusetts, Unearth are still at the top of their metalcore game, while most of their peers either changed style to something different or softer (Killswitch Engage) or outright split up or go on hiatus (Shadows Fall). Even though their harsh nature kept away from the success of their peers, their hard work and dedication really matters to the fanbase and respect they earned in the metal community. Watchers of Rule is not surprising, but has well-written energy!

In case you haven't heard of Unearth, their metalcore is intense with no compromises. If you wanna hear them on the radio, well good luck with that! Pretty much all vocals are abrasive screaming, with only a few songs having clean singing. The music is still melodic, especially the guitars being an active driving force in many of their songs. This band is heavily inspired by melodeath as much as metalcore, although their melodic components has improved recently by including harmonized leads that aren't as trite as Iron Maiden but as revamped as In Flames.

The album starts with a brief instrumental "Intro". But then it switches completely different song, "The Swarm", which is not to be confused with that At the Gates song, but sounds a bit like At the Gates with the pure melodeath blasting. Their usual machine-like breakdown are instantly recognizable while the verses and choruses having a fitting metallic edge. However, the clean vocals are gone, while the fretwork still packs a melodic punch over the heavy violence. In "Lifetime in Ruins", the military-like breakdown really crucifies the song into headbanging territory without sounding too needless repetitive. The craftiness of "Guards of Contagion" shows ornaments of scales behind harsh riffs that all build up to a harmonic chorus.

"From the Tombs of Five Below" has strong breakdowns resembling All Shall Perish. "Never Cease" might have been inspired by Fear Factory in the speedy deep riffing that can be heard from Threat Signal/late-90s Meshuggah. A cool melodic lead harmony plays over an otherwise brutal harmony once again bringing to mind Threat Signal. "Trail of Fire" is one of the heaviest songs on the album with beefed-up groove breakdowns played together with Iron Maiden-esque harmonic leads. The 40-second intro of "To the Ground" sounds too much one from Lamb of God's "Black Label". I don't know if that's a tribute or an unnecessary rip-off. Still one of the more pure metalcore songs!

"Burial Lines" deserves higher points for the impressive dueling lead guitar work. They even kept the impact of the song by not having too many breakdowns that they, along with other metalcore/deathcore bands kept having, but instead having only one breakdown reserved for the end. "Birth of a Legion" once again stands out with the amazing guitar work. The ending title track has devouring leads you just can't miss.

Unearth didn't quite shake any unstable foundations as much as their previous albums, but I think they only intended to have fun with their sound. Their metalcore wall was kept standing for 35 minutes (or 43) and I'm OK with that. They modernize their old style without any giving sh*ts about the mainstream. They still have a long way to go....

Favorites: "The Swarm", "Never Cease", "Trail to Fire", "Burial Lines", "Birth of a Legion"