Rocking With Jam Man talks with Unearth

Rocking With Jam Man talks with Unearth about there new album The Wretched; The Ruinous, how Trevor keeps his voice in shape, getting up in age, how the crowd is getting older and how much longer everyone can rock out, the future of metal and more

It’s high time to detonate the Brutal Heavy Metal Bomb that is known as UNEARTH as the band drops The Wretched; The Ruinous today. These merchants of the Heaviest Metal do not disappoint and deliver a staggering new single titled “Dawn of the Militant” 

Trevor Phipps explains, “‘Dawn of the Militant’ is a song drenched in thrash metal and heavy hardcore that is unrelenting from start to finish. The thrash meets hardcore bulk of the song hits a crescendo in the last 39 seconds with possibly the heaviest piece of music we’ve ever laid down on record.  

Lyrically this song speaks of the threat nuclear war has on humanity. As our climate crisis worsens nations will become desperate to provide for their people. Tensions will rise and wars will be fought. When two nations with nuclear capabilities become at odds over our dwindling resources the likelihood of nuclear war will increase drastically. Humans by nature are tribal and protective of their own to a fault. Nuclear Holocaust is a likely end to civilization as we know it before the climate crisis completely eradicates us. 

We are seeing these tensions rise worldwide today and the ‘Dawn of the Militant’ is upon us. It’s up to us as a species to lay down our weapons, put aside our differences and come together to avoid the coming tragedies, despair and chaos we are speeding towards. We still have time to avoid this hellish end, but that time is running out while we get more divided by the day.”

Trevor Phipps further declares, “The time has come for The Wretched; The Ruinous to hit the streets and we are excited as all hell to unleash these songs to the world. This album has the aggression, power, melody, energy and darkness that Unearth is known for, but we’ve pushed our sound further to offer the listener a more dynamic group of songs that hit harder than anything in our catalog.  

Lyrically this is a concept album that follows the current effects of the man-made climate crisis as well as what will happen in the years to come if drastic and immediate change is not made to curb emissions and monumental efforts are not made to repair and adjust to the damages already done. 

We made a conscious effort to push beyond our boundaries as writers and players to make the heaviest and most true Metal meets Hardcore album possible as we drew from our early influences all the way through modern heavy music. There are familiar sounds for any Unearth fan to digest, but there are also deviations to our sound and writing that offer heavy music fans of all genres and sub-genres to absorb and get their blood flowing to.  

We set out to make the ultimate Unearth album and we are proud to present to you all The Wretched; The Ruinous.”

UNEARTH are nothing short of standard-bearers and keepers of the faith for American metalcore. They were the band born in the breakdown who never wavered from their love for European death metal melodicism, supercharged by American thrash and hardcore. Now, nearly 25 years into a career that’s seen the Massachusetts mob play innumerable gigs and massive festivals on six continents, sell hundreds of thousands of records, and inspire some of the most important bands in extreme metal today, they remain a force to contend with.

First single “The Wretched; The Ruinous” premiered January 23 and scored three weeks at #1 followed by four weeks at #2 on SiriusXM Liquid Metal Devil’s Dozen Playlist! Second single “Mother Betrayal” was released March 3 and “Into the Abyss” dropped April 4. 

On album number eight, The Wretched; The Ruinous, UNEARTH not merely continues to amp-up their metal meets hardcore intensities, but they also exceed themselves with a record that incorporates elements of classic UNEARTH offerings dating back to 2004’s “breakthrough” The Oncoming Storm, while exploring beyond the recent back-to-basics promise of 2018’s Extinction(s). For UNEARTH’s founding mainstays, Phipps and guitarist Buz McGrath, it feels like the beginning of a new chapter. “Buz took the entire pandemic to write these songs,” says Trevor. “He pushed himself to get out of his comfort zone and explore what UNEARTH is, both past and present. Buz adding these new elements and killer song structures inspired me to be more diverse vocally. The Wretched; the Ruinous is still UNEARTH, but it’s also the most dynamic record we’ve ever done.”

Teaming again with Extinction(s) producer, Will Putney (Body Count, Thy Art Is Murder), the goal was simple: create the definitive UNEARTH record. From the scathing title track opener to the explosive “Cremation of the Living”, the brooding “Mother Betrayal” to the album’s riff-violent closer, “Theaters of War”, The Wretched; The Ruinous is UNEARTH pulling out all the stops. “There’s certain songs where you can really hear the band’s hardcore roots,” explains Trevor. “The track ‘Dawn of the Militant’ is a true mix of metal and heavy hardcore, that to me define what the term ‘metalcore’ truly is. For the bulk of this record though, the metal, aggression, and technicality are reminiscent of our Watchers of Rule (2014) album. All of the ingredients of UNEARTH are present on these songs, but the band continues to explore new territories as writers and players.”

With their 25-year mark looming, it’s a daunting thought that UNEARTH has been a part of the metal landscape since making their recorded debut with 1999’s Above the Fall of Man EP. At that point, UNEARTH was one of the key bands in an-about-to-detonate New Wave of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM) scene that included nascent lineups of Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, Darkest Hour, Bleeding Through, and God Forbid. “It was a healthy competition between all of us,” the vocalist recalls. “It made for some great music and opened up a new chapter in American metal.”

The Wretched; The Ruinous is a turning point moment for UNEARTH. It’s first album in their canon recorded without guitarist Ken Susi, who mutually parted with the band in 2022. “It simply came time for UNEARTH and Ken to take a break from working together. He’ll always be a large part of the story of this band, and we wish him the best on all of his endeavors.”

Joining Trevor, Buz and long-time bassist, Chris O’Toole, on the road is not only new guitarist Peter Layman (ex-Apiary), who filled in for UNEARTH before, but also drummer Mike Justian, long considered an integral part of UNEARTH’s halcyon days. “Mike’s live performance and presence are unmatched, and we couldn’t be happier to have him back with us,” states Trevor Phipps. 

For UNEARTH, the mission is simple. Keep being UNEARTH. “We formed this band to make music for us, not trying to create something for anyone else. As soon as we did that people connected to it, and it’s kept us pushing onward for almost 25 years. We look forward to 25 more.”

UNEARTH’s storm isn’t about to let up any time soon. Catch UNEARTH on tour now.

UNEARTH – The Wretched; The Ruinous Album Release Tour

With Special Guests Upon A Burning Body and 156/Silence

5/4 – Lubbock, TX – Jake’s

5/5 – El Paso, TX – Rock House

5/6 – Tucson, AZ – The Rock

5/7 – Anaheim, CA – Parish Room @ House of Blues

5/8 – Los Angeles, CA – The Regent Theater

5/9 – Roseville, CA – Goldfields 

5/11 – Portland, OR – Star Theater

5/12 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon

5/13 – Boise, ID – Shrine Basement *

5/14 – Salt Lake City, UT – Soundwell

5/15 – Denver, CO – HQ

5/16 – Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck

5/18 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups

5/19 – Rochester, NY – Montage Music Hall

*(no UABB/no 156 Silence)

UNEARTH 

Supporting Halo Effect With Special Guests High Command

5/20 – Hartford, CT – The Webster

5/21 – Brooklyn, NY – Monarch

5/22 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl

5/23 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium Upstairs

5/24 – Quebec City, QC – Imperial Bell

5/25 – Montreal, QC – Fairmount Theatre

5/26 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern

5/27 – Detroit, MI – Crofoot Ballroom

UNEARTH Festival Dates

5/28 – Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Metal Fest

6/15 – Dessel, Belgium – Graspop Metal Meeting

6/16 – Clisson, France – Hellfest 2023

6/23 – Ferropolis, Germany – Full Force

6/30 – Emmen, Netherlands – Pitfest

7/2 Saarbrucken, Germany – Reality Bites Fest

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UNEARTH online: 
https://unearthofficial.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@unearthofficial 
https://www.facebook.com/unearthofficial
https://www.instagram.com/unearthofficial/
https://twitter.com/Unearthofficial
https://open.spotify.com/artist/44wJRGNtWywCUJZug8FJg3?si=KP3YHrfRSWimZk9H998raA