Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Unearth - The Wretched; The Ruinous (2023)

25 years on and Unearth continues to light the metalcore torch. Alongside other bands like Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, Hatebreed, and God Forbid, this band has engraved their name into the New Wave of American Heavy Metal stone. However, with both founding rhythm guitarist Ken Susi and recent drummer Nick Pierce having just left the band and joined As I Lay Dying, it seemed like the torch might end up being put out...

Fortunately, their new album The Wretched; the Ruinous, has some of their heaviest diversity yet! The album contains Nick Pierce's last recordings with the band, though with earlier drummer Mike Justian rejoining the band later, I hope the band can make some albums with Mike in the future to restore the perfection of The Oncoming Storm.

Starting off the action right away is the spectacular title opener. This is perhaps the best track I've heard from the band in ages! Alongside some aggressive energy, guitarist Buz McGrath packs some punches with his melodic shredding force. Vocalist Trevor Phipps keeps his vocals moving forward, especially in the ending deep viking-esque chant of "No heroes... Year zero..." Different layers give the song diverse brilliance! "Cremation of the Living" has more of that excellent metalcore sound, a Gothenburg-style anthem with the riffs, vocals, and breakdowns throwing back to the mid-2000s, in a way where they can really do it! Next track "Eradicator" again has the At the Gates/In Flames melodeath style blend with moshing metalcore breakdowns, keep you interested in the heaviness.

What makes this album show the band at its strongest is the contrasting experimentation, as you can hear in "Mother Betrayal". It flashbacks to the band's earlier beauty from 20 years ago then twists it with the closest the band has gotten to black metal. With that and McGrath's sonic leads, that song is another epic standout. Then we have the thrash-blasting "Invictus". The strong breakdown isn't highly hardcore, but it has the brutal-melodic blend of Shogun-era Trivium. "Call of Existence" continues the melodic sound taken from Miss May I and The Browning (minus the electronics of the latter). Deeper down the line is "Dawn of the Militant", having more of the classic metallic hardcore sound of Earth Crisis and Strife, with great b*lls. This is solid heaviness we really need. It then leads to perhaps the most brutal breakdown the band has ever made. Absolutely killer sh*t right there!

"Aniara" is a soft acoustic interlude to start the final third of the album. "Into the Abyss" pulls you back into the heavier melodeath-infused drama of In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. One true surprise in this offering is "Broken Arrow" which is more of a straight rocker. Some can be reminded of Queen of the Stone Age at some points. Nonetheless, their 2000s metalcore throwback is still on as the guitar leads, riffs, and breakdowns continue to crush. The album's closing track "Theaters of War" concludes quite strongly, like everything has lead up to this point. It all ends in a hellbent breakdown unleashed in a punishing catastrophe to break the world apart.

The Wretched; The Ruinous marks both the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. The band can continue what has made them great while adding in nice surprises. The metalcore sound is still in their hearts. This album is filled with amazing hard-hitters and occasional experimentation. Their fame shall be kept high!

Favorites: "The Wretched; the Ruinous", "Eradicator", "Mother Betrayal", "Invictus", "Dawn of the Militant", "Theaters of War"