The March (CD - 2008)

Additional personnel: Chris Day , Scottie Henry, Corey Brandon, Wes Pannell, Jake Schultz, Pat O'Donnell (vocals).

Audio Mixer: Andy Sneap.

Unearth consistently dance back and forth between the borders of hardcore and metal, blurring the lines to create one of the purest forms of metalcore available. On their fourth album THE MARCH, they've continued their explorations in classic thrash song-structures without abandoning hardcore's fury and raw edges. "Hail the Shrine" rushes headlong like vintage Anthrax until it hits a pit-churning breakdown, rife with stuttering riffs and drums, and "We Are Not Anonymous" attacks like an industrial press between the choruses.

2006's III: In the Eyes of Fire saw Unearth score their commercial breakthrough (as it reached number 45 on the album charts). But they accomplished this feat without the input of longtime producer Adam Dutkiewicsz (yep, the same chap who is an integral member of Killswitch Engage), as renowned producer Terry Date manned the boards. But on their follow-up -- and fourth studio album overall, 2008's The March, the lads have reunited once more with Señor Dutkiewicsz, and the results are as hard-hitting and gloriously metallic as ever before. While many focus on the hardcore hollering (and thinking man's lyrics) of the group's frontman, Trevor Phipps, perhaps more than any of their previous albums, The March proves once and for all that Unearth is one mighty guitar band. The twin six-string team of Buz McGrath and Ken Susi is one of metal's finest, and it doesn't take long to prove this -- just check out the kick-off track, "My Will Be Done," which features some pretty darn tasty guitar work. But that said, Phipps still has more than enough room to stretch out with some interesting lyrical concepts, and this time out, "Crow Killer" is the standout ditty, as it focuses on the story of Jeremiah Johnson, who supposedly sought a relentless and bloody revenge on the Crow Indians (hence the song's title), after they killed his wife. And as evidenced by tracks such as "Grave of Opportunity," Unearth has pretty much perfected their hardcore-meets-Iron Maiden style/approach by this point. The March proves that all the early accolades were well worth it: Unearth has grown into one of metal's leading outfits. ~ Greg Prato minimize