Unearth has followed up Stings of Conscience and The Oncoming Storm with their most recent release III. In The Eyes of Fire. III. In The Eyes of Fire is in a way an extension of The Oncoming Storm with the signinature Unearth sound and their classic riffs. When hearing This Glorious Nightmare and Giles before the release of In The Eyes of Fire it seemed very much like it belonged on The Oncoming Storm. On this album there are very signature Buzz McGrath riffs and Ken Susi rhythm and breakdowns. Trevor Phipps vocals remain amazing and his lyrics are deep and meaningful. I can never get over what a great lyricist he is. On drums Justain's drum parts are much better and add a lot to the songs, not that he was bad before but this seems to be the thing I notice most when listening to the new album. Here is an analysis song by song.
1. This Glorious Nightmare-
This song starts out hard and fast and alot like The Oncoming Storm begins with fast pace guitars and great riffs. It has powerful lyrics and a very catchy chorus. This remains fast and heavy only stopping for a short time with Justain keeping a steady beat on the bass pedal and then builds up back into the song and reminds me more of The Oncoming Storm than any other song.
2. Giles-
Once again Giles starts fast with another one of those great riffs then going to a different riff. In the chorus the song goes into a somewhat sketchy breakdown that has some odd timing followed by an even different amazing McGrath riff. This song also has a stopping point where Justain keeps a steady pedal beat only to build back into the song and ends with a very powerful breakdown with Phipps screaming "Rectify my Life"
3. March of Mutes-
This is the first song on the album to actually build up into the song with a eerie slow progressing picking part and then goes into the song slowly. Surprisingly when the song takes off there are none of McGrath's extreme riffs, just a somewhat simple part played by both Susi and McGrath, but not to worry when it hits the chorus he takes off and then the song starts to take off with yet another stopping point only to build up into the song with Phipps as usual powerful lyrics. The song yet again ends with a great breakdown and Phipps screaming his great lyrics out.
4. Sanctity of Brothers
This songs starts out with a fast paced riff and then goes into a pre-chorus thats slows the pace down a bit with Justain staying with steady double pumpers to then go to the main chorus with the the killer guitar parts. This song is not as paced as The previous three tracks, it remains heavy but is a little more timing sensitive with the parts and riffs.
5. The Devil Has Risen
This songs starts out with Phipps screaming, then screaming "Give us the Strength" and then the song breaks out. This song is based along a steady simple heavy part that makes up the verse. Then of course as always they break into their crazy riffs for the chorus and the song speeds up. When it starts to build Phipps screams "Keep Rising The Devil Is Rising". The song once again takes off and through the next verse McGrath takes off on his parts. This song once again stops completely and then builds up with Phipps convictions and emotions scream out with their classic breakdown.
6. This Time Was Mine
This songs starts out with both Susi and McGrath doing a somewhat simple triple-picking riff and then breaks out into Susi into the rhythm and Mcgrath into the lead and Goes from Susi's rythm and Phipps screaming to McGraths riff back in forth right before they all come together. The songs stops and then Justain hits the cymbols and it builds back into breakdown and Phipps once again screaming a powerful part. This song then again stops starting back out with the triple-picking to go back into the song.
7. Unstoppable
This song starts with song starts out with a simple breakdown part that is the verse, then in builds up into the chorus. The chorus is very Unearth typical again and while being much simpler then their other songs thus far it is still great, and of course it still has the interlude breakdown type thing in the middle of the song. This song remains simple but great. It then seems to be over to start with a slow riff with Justain hitting his toms. This is more of a slow interlude in the song. Then starts back in with Phipps screaming and the guitars coming in at a slower pace to end.
8. So It Goes
This song starts with drums and one guitar doing a riff, taking off with Phipps screaming and a triple-picking riff. The Chorus is one of the more catchy ones on the album. The song goes into a slower part that builds back into a breakdown with Phipps screaming with the breakdown. The song then goes into a solo, the first solo on the album although Susi and McGrath seem to be doing solos the whole time, this is just the first time that the full attention is on the solo. A great solo but not as good as the one on Zombie Autopilot from The Oncoming Storm. The song goes directly from the solo back into the regular part of the song. The song ends with McGrath playing a killer riff and kind of slowly fades out.
9. Imposters Kingdom
This song starts out at the fastest pace of any song on the album. The song then goes into the Chorus with classic Unearth riffs and then build up into a heavy breakdown. After another build up Phipps screams "Nothing is real anymore" and the song starts to go back into the heavier part slowly with a slow build up of instruments and riffs. The song goes back with full force and ends.
10. Bled Dry
This song starts with a riff unlike many of the others. This songs riffs seem to me to be a little more technical for some reason although they are not as fast as many of McGrath's riffs. The chorus is very catchy once again. The song then slows down with the fast riff going with one guitar doing a slow picking part to almost give an uplifting feel, then the song goes into a blazing breakdown only to go back into the same picking part with the blazing riff still going. The song then goes into the chorus. The song again stops and has Phipps screaming and builds into a slower breakdown to end.
11. Big Bear and the Hour of Chaos
This song starts with a slower somewhat eerie rhythm and riff part. After this the song goes into a very haunting Mudvayne/DevilDriver-esque part. I'm not sure how I got Mudvayne and DevilDriver together but when I heard of it those were the first two bands it reminded me of. The song goes from slow riff to a piano part. The guitars start to come in and play a great rhythm part that is catchy and sums up the whole album very nicely and ends on a good note to sort of cool you down from the blazing riffs and breakdowns from the rest of the album. A great way to end a classic album in my opinion.
Well that's my review. I'm sorry it's not the greatest, this is the first review I've actually put on here and I'm very inexperienced. My review probably wasn't the best at describing the songs and probably made them all seem the same and predictable. In my eyes this whole album is great. It is alot like The Oncoming Storm but it does evolve and seems to have alot more conviction and makes you want to go do something about the world. This album is one of my favorites ever and I love everybit of it. Alot of the songs follow the same structure as is evident in my review but they are great breakdowns and great parts and each song is amazing. I'm sorry it's not the greatest review but I need practice and I got the cd a little early so I figured I'd write the review before too many got it and hopefully it will do until someone that is better at this writes one. This album may be different to casual Unearth fans. I am a huge fan and love everything about them and this album is a great place to start if you have not heard them.
