Customer Reviews

III: In the Eyes of Fire

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4 star:		(10)
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UNEARTH - III: In the Eyes of Fire
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After the highly successful `Oncoming Storm', comes the third full length by Massachusetts based Unearth. I had high expectations for this album but also proceeded with caution because I was unsure if they could expand on what they had started. Luckily they have pushed the limits of metalcore once again...

The attack is led by the 7-string masters, Ken Susi and Buzz McGrath who are not only competent axe-men but also skillful song writers combining European melodic guitars with some of the most creative breakdowns around. The rhythm section has stepped it up for this release especially the drumming of Mike Justian. For those unaware Mike played on The Red Chords debut `Fused Together in Revolving Doors' and that was some of the most spastic, creative metal drumming I have ever heard. With `Oncoming Storm' he had to dumb-it-down (so to speak) to fit in with the more structured style of Unearth's sound. On this release he has been able to expand and although not to the insanity of The Red Chord, he seems to be utilizing a more creative approach to the drums this time around. The Bass work John `Slo' Maggard, provides a suitable back drop for the other instruments... although I do wish he would have attributed more to the overall sound of the album. Last and certainly not least is front man, Trevor Philips. Back again with introspective lyrics and his subtle blends of screaming, yelling and some spoken word and best of all, there are no opera-esc, killswitch style choruses!!!

The boys have really hit the head on the nail with this release, and it offers everything one could want in a metalcore CD. Like their previous release, `Oncoming Storm', they may not have reinvented the wheel but they certainly made it go faster and reinforced it with a nice coat of metal!

Favorite Songs: Sanctity in Brothers, Imposters Kingdom, So it Goes, and The Glorious Nightmare
-4.75 Stars

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Since the recording of "III: In The Eyes Of Fire" began, Unearth have been promising to deliver a release which would be their "angriest, heaviest and most brutal" to date. And with their newest release, Unearth has delivered in Spades. Granted Metalcore is all but original at the moment, but as one of the longest running bands in the genre (and perhaps one of the best), Unearth has firmly set their sights on one goal and one goal alone : pulverize the listeners ears. And that is exactly what this record does. Whether it's the anthem-like choruses, the ripping solos, or the unrelenting breakdowns, Unearth continues to prove that they know exactly what to do when it comes to making music.

Much like "The Great Dividers" opened "The Oncoming Storm" at breakneck speed, "This Glorious Nightmare" comes out the gate at 100 mph and doesn't relent for one second. Those familiar with the sound that the band has been practicing since their 2001 release "The Stings Of Conscience", are pretty much going to know what the expect: Throaty vocal roars, lightning fast drumming, At The Gates style riffing, and plenty of breakdowns. While this has become the most imitated style of heavy music on the planet as of late, Unearth show there's a reason they've been doing it this long. Every song will more or less satisfy even the casual fans of metalcore. The first single "Giles" and the opener "This Glorious Nightmare" are perhaps the best of the disc, showcasing Unearth's own brand of 7-string metalcore. "Unstoppable" and "So It Goes" are two other highlights, as they contrast the heavy and melodic sides of the band in stellar fashion. There's ten songs, and one closing instrumental (which seems to have become pretty popular on metal records as of late). Overall though there isn't anything terribly different or exciting about this release compared to either of their previous two records. Although as a whole this album is probably stronger than "The Oncoming Storm" (the songs are better written, the riffs are more technical, the lyrics are more thought out) it just simply is not as memorable. This kind of brings it down. At any time you could instantly flip throughout the 11 tracks and find a great tune, but only a few are absolute classics.

"III: In The Eyes Of Fire" won't change your mind about metalcore if you already hate it, but to those who at least have some interest in the slowly deteriorating genre, this is almost as good as it gets. I'm actually glad Unearth decided to write a record that was their heaviest and darkest (according to them), because it really worked well. With so many bands wanting to go the "melodic" route in metal and hardcore, it's nice to see someone stick to their guns and keep it heavy. If you like Unearth, you'll love the record, and if you don't, you won't. It's really that simple. So if you meet the qualifications, don't hesitate to pick this one up.

To keep it short and simple, this is one of, if not THE best metal CD I've ever heard. And I've heard dozens. Break-neck guitar riffing, complex, technical drumming (that alternates between seemingly random, yet fitting snare rolls and rumbles, and rhythm based stomping) powerful, pounding breakdowns that blend seamlessly, and some better than average vocals and lyrics are all carried by thrashing, slashing, often uplifting and exhilarating guitar melodies that are damn near impossible to follow in a way that carries you through the song. With multiple change-ups in each track, a relentless, infusing pace throughout, a handful of truly sick riffs, and a smattering of solid soloing, Unearth has accomplished something I've not seen ANYWHERE else. A total, near-perfect fusion of every sound and style within a genre they are slowly themselves defining, at least in this metal fan's eyes.

**UPDATE** - After further listens, I like the album even more! Tracks 7 & 8 really kick a**! I think the whole album except track 5 and 9 are really good. 5 & 9 aren't bad, just not as good as the rest.

I thought this album was one relentless onslaught from beginning to end. Obviously, Giles and March of the Mutes really stand out while the rest are good to pretty good. These guys were a blast to see in concert, and when they play all their best stuff, it's awesome. I agree with other people, they have yet to reach their potential, but they're not far away, and Giles is a punishing statement that they will hopefully achieve those heights consistently through an entire album in the future. I hope they do!

This is the album what i expected from Unearth, more metal and less metalcore, sure they pleased the old school metal fans like me but their loyal base fans from the metalcore scene will be dissapoint. This album is full of blistering solos, incredible drumming and the vocals sounds really good. In my opinion is better than the "Uncoming Storm". Recommended!!!!

Without any doubt, this album is bone crushing. If you liked Oncoming Storm, this is along similar lines, but with the brutality turned up alot more. The guitars sound HUGE. I would have to say that this is exactly what I was hoping for from Unearth.

Following up the breakthrough success of the now two-year-old release, "The Oncoming Storm," Unearth kick out a new album, "III: In The Eyes Of Fire." Being one of the few people who wasn't at all blown away by Unearth's previous effort, I was ready to give this one a mediocre rating. But after a few objective listens, it's now more than safe to insist that "III: In The Eyes Of Fire" is a substantial step towards this Massachusetts metalcore quintet achieving greatness.

Unearth's sound still comes up short in the variety and uniqueness departments, but it is always filled to the brim with pulsing, unsurpassable energy. The guitar riffing on display here is tenaciously busy, skilled, and fierce, the drummer sounds like he's been on steroids all his life, and the vocals are mean, aggressive, and are devoid of any melodic pleasantries so they never dilute the music's momentum. Finally, some fans were worried when Unearth tapped Terry Date (Pantera, Deftones) to produce the new record, but those fears can be put to rest indefinitely. It may be a bit different than what your used to, but this production job is remarkably well-done (especially when compared to what was heard on "The Oncoming Storm," which was helmed by Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz). Date wisely chooses to leave the edges on the music, thus giving the riffs a bigger, more memorable bite. Thus, these songs ususally pump with urgency, raw intensity, and live-energy, so they sound genuine and inspired, and not as much like yet another product of studio perfection.

Although a few tracks here and there are too generic to stand out (see "Imposters Kingdom"), the number of keepers (good or even great songs) on tap here is definitely bigger. "This Glorious Nightmare" opens the album by immediately hurling you into a barrage of bullying guitars and rapid, cracking drums. "Sanctity of Brothers" and "The Devil Has Risen" are scorching thrashfests, and "Giles" and "Unstoppable" are two of the catchiest tracks, with fiery, chugging guitars anchored by muscular, driving rhythms. "Bled Dry," which is backed by staccato, punching, machine gun power chords that hit the listener like a cement block to the head, is another highlight, but the album's crown jewel is doubtlessly the eighth track, "So It Goes." This extremely addictive song boasts smoking fast riffs and eight professionally played, dueling guitar solos, including one which sounds almost classical. This is an awesome song, but it kind of makes the listener long for at least one more song with a solo. The only attempt at nuance and straightforward melody at the end of the album: "Big Bear and the Hour of Chaos" is a well-restrained (though somewhat cliche and predictable) instrumental piece that accentuates a depressing mood and sluggish tempo with effective use of gloomy piano keys.

The point is there are still a couple of things holding them back, but this is clearly a much better group of musicians than what we heard a mere two years ago. That's a sign of a great band in the works: realized instrumentalists and exceptional songwriters who have a lot of potential, and are smart enough to mature and learn from past experiences. I'm guessing Unearth will have their last few, lingering imperfections completely scrubbed out in time for the release of their next, fourth-full length record, which will be a truly amazing and epic masterpiece. "III: In The Eyes Of Fire" sounds like Unearth are most of the way there.

Unearth are plain and simply one of the best modern metalcore bands today. Their third official release 2009's "III: In the Eyes of Fire" (thier second with Metal Blade) is simply an all out heavy, blistering, blazing, skull pounding, neck snapping metal/hardcore assault that is 100% guaranteed to greatly pulverize the human ears. While the band's 2004 release "The Oncoming Storm" (which was produced by Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage) was a great album and one of my favorite metalcore cds that I own, but this album is heavier, faster, and much better, and it's also less core and more metal oriented as well. I haven't gotten thier newest album "The March" yet, but I'm looking very forward to getting that album soon. For "III: In the Eyes of Fire", Unearth enlisted the help of famed producer Terry Date (Pantera, Deftones, Soundgarden, Overkill) and his production on here is simply flawless. Frontman Trevor Phipps leads the onslaught with brutal, rapid, gut wrenching screams and shouts, and introspective lyrics, while the 7-string master duo of Ken Susi and Buzz McGrath lash out with frantic, thrashing At The Gates style riffing and awesome ripping solos, and let's not forget the breakdowns which are just super heavy and bone crushing, and of course skinsman Mike Justian pounds away with mean, relentless, hammering thrash metal style drumming which is just fantastic. Opening up the album is "This Glorious Nightmare" which immediately without warning opens up the flood gates with lightning fast drumming, relentless speeding riffs, and rapid screams, and the song doesn't let up from that point on. I love the chorus, it's just fist pumpingly catchy as well. The next song "Giles" continues the vicious attack with more violent, fast riffing, and hammering drums, and some crushing breakdown sections especially during the chrouses as well as near the end of the song. Track four "Sanctity of Brothers" and track five "The Devil Has Risen" are both big fast, scorching, thrash monsters that will make you bang your head like crazy. The seventh song entitled "Unstoppable" features well let's see, brutal screaming vocals, brutal riffs, brutal drumwork. This is definately a song that lives up to it's name, it is truly unstoppable. My personal favorite song on here, track eight "So It Goes" is highlighted by a successful series of ripping dualing guitar solos by Ken and Buzz that will definately please anyone who digs guitar solos like myself. Track ten "Bled Dry" is another wild, brutal scorcher that features some super heavy machine gun riffing around the 1:41 mark, as well as some more slamming, pounding drums, and heart pumping screams, and let's not forget about the closing instrumental track eleven "Big Bear and the Hour of Chaos" which is great as well. For the entire song list and ratings, please read on.
Jeremy's song ratings:
1. This Glorious Nightmare (4:21) - 5/5
2. Giles (3:57) - 5/5
3. March of the Mutes (4:02) - 5/5
4. Sanctity of Brothers (3:28) - 5/5
5. The Devil Has Risen (3:21) - 5/5
6. This Time Was Mine (4:10) - 5/5
7. Unstoppable (5:05) - 5/5
8. So It Goes (5:02) - 5/5 My favorite song
9. Impostors Kingdom (3:23) - 5/5
10. Bled Dry (3:55) - 5/5
11. Big Bear and the hour of Chaos (3:09) - 5/5

If you're looking for a metal/hardcore album that is blisteringly fast and furiously blazing and brutally heavy, and is made for some serious headbanging enjoyment, then Unearth's "III: In The Eyes of Fire" is rightfully yours to own. With this album, Unearth prove that they're definately on top of their metalcore peers. Overall, I highly recommend this album to fans of Unearth, metal, metalcore, hardcore, and even some thrash metal fans will like this as well. This is an album that should not be slept on, buy it now.

One glance at the cover of this Unearth CD should give you a hint of its contents; iron gray shields, skulls, thorns and battle axes against a field of deepest black. Like many other bands desperate to escape the "metalcore" tag, Unearth has set out to prove they are a F***ING METAL band by making the hardest, fastest and fiercest music of their careers on this effort. To that end, they called in producer Terry Date of Pantera, Soundgarden and early Deftones fame, instead of previous collaborator (and Mr. Metalcore himself) Adam Dutkiewicz. The result is an album that is far more rough and organic sounding than the group's previous releases; Date's production style leaves some ragged edges that Adam D would have polished away. "In The Eyes Of Fire" comes about as close as you can to capturing on CD the raw energy that Unearth is known for as a live act, a definite advantage to Date's approach. A disadvantage, however, is that lead vocalist Trevor Phipps loses some of his effectiveness, which is too bad, because Phipps has definitely grown lyrically on this CD. While his left-wing politics are still on display in tracks like "March Of The Mutes," "The Devil Has Risen" and "Impostors Kingdom," "Glorious Nightmare" is a portrait of the struggle against addiction, and the songs "Sanctity of Brothers" and "This Time Was Mine" respectively eulogize a friend who overdosed and a terminally ill family member. The song "Giles" is a history lesson. One of the few men to be charged during the Salem witch trials, Corey Giles chose to be crushed to death under stones rather than plead guilty because to do so would have prevented his sons from inheriting his land. The one disappointment is the album's final track, the instrumental "Big Bear and the Hour of Chaos." Despite an unexpected piano interlude courtesy of bassist John Maggard, this track sounds mostly like a case of "Well, we've got this cool song, but our singer can't come up with any decent lyrics, so we'll call it an instrumental and use it to close the CD." Nice try, but next time either spin the song out and show what you can do musically (there's no doubt these guys can play), or leave it off altogether. There's always the next CD, and if Unearth keeps making solid efforts like this one, their fans will eagerly await whatever they do next.

I think reviewers are to critical on this album for all the wrong reasons. Unearth is a metalcore band and this album succeeds at being great in that genre. Its aggressive, has very catchy pounding riffs and awesome musical solos. By the way unearth do sound unique compared to all the other cookie cutter bands out there. Anytime an album can put an adrenaline rush in you is when it is the epitome of great metal. Unearth has done that in their first 3 albums. With this album they really excelled with the aggression and catchy hooks with Giles, Sanctity of brothers, March of the mutes.