Watchers of Rule

To the list of albums that probably should not be as good as they are, add Unearth's 2014 offering, `Watchers Of Rule'. With the addition of a yet another drummer, this one brought to you by youtube; and the conspicuous absence of both long-time bassist John Maggard and production guru/all-around Metalcore mastermind Adam Dutkiewicz, `Watchers Of Rule' should be a directionless, unlistenable train wreck; a la a Pantera reunion with James Blunt on lead guitar. The fact is that it's not... not in the least. Despite questionable additions and a glaring omission, `Watchers' is unequivocally Unearth's hardest, most technical, and consequently most rewarding LP to date.But how can that be?With Dutkiewicz off wearing a cape or something, Mark Lewis was brought in to helm the soundboard on his first Unearth record. If anything, it sounds as though Lewis took the "If it ain't broke" approach to production. With Trevor Phipps intentionally adding more rasp to his scream, the potential certainly existed for the finished product to sound like so much mush. Credit where credit is due, I suppose. Lewis incorporated and layered each instrument with the same care and balance one would have expected from Dutkiewicz. Phipps' annunciation, particularly on `From The Tombs Of Five Below,' owes a great deal to Earth Crisis' Karl Buechner, circa their 1999 release, `Breed The Killers.' If it's possible, Phipps may sound better here than he ever has before. Let us hope that his vocal chords do not degenerate into inaudible mumble-mush like many of his progenitors unfortunately have.Retaining what has become a signature twin-lead guitar front line and coupling that with Phipps absolutely enraged vocal delivery, `Watchers' feels very much like the next natural step in what has become a very systematic evolution for this band. If `The March' and `Darkness In The Light' righted the sonic wrongs perpetrated on our ears by Terry Date on Unearth's 2006 release `III: In The Eyes Of Fire,' `Watchers' is an album that showcases a band that has pushed technical brutality to its breaking point. There can no longer be any doubt that this band lives and dies by the twin-leads of Buz McGrath and Ken Susi. Think K.K. Downing and Glen Tipton for the 21st century, their symbiotic and seamless lead guitar work on every Unearth record is the cornerstone of this band.Bassist John Maggard's absence can be felt in subtle ways. Gone is the ubiquitous ambient track or segue that served to add a moment of depth, melody and clarity to the otherwise static onslaught. With `Watchers,' melody has been beaten senseless with a blunt object. Shockingly enough, credit drummer Nick Pierce and his first appearance on an Unearth record. At no point does it feel as though he was told to hold back when assaulting either skin or cymbal. His fills and flourishes, particularly on 'The Swarm' and the first of the bonus tracks, `Throes Of Remission,' are at the very least the best drum work featured on an Unearth record since Justian left the band. The strength and technical prowess conveyed through Pierce's drumming was everything this band had been lacking up to this point. With his addition, McGrath and Susi are finally complimented with a musician of their caliber. I'd be hard pressed to offer any higher praise.At the end of the day, the technical aspects and minutia of an album matter little if the album isn't worth listening to. From beginning to end, `Watchers Of Rule' is a fantastic listening experience. By virtue of the sheer brutality of the proceedings, think of this as Unearth injected with Human Growth Hormone. Every track, as uncompromisingly heavy as they are, compliment one-another and nothing feels out of place or undeserving of inclusion. This goes for the two bonus tracks on the deluxe version so being a cheapskate and buying the less expensive version is not an option. Provided you weren't hoping that this would be the Unearth record that would feature a Celine Dion cover, you will not be disappointed.

After its almost hopeful-sounding Intro, this album explodes forward with the characteristic blast beats, palm muting, and soaring lead that makes Unearth one of the best in the business. The band continues to explore emotional peaks and valleys by exploring varying techniques, time signatures, and tonality. A very tightly knit, streamlined mastery of their sound, despite its slight over reliance on the "fade in" mixing trope.

Decent album, but definitely no Oncoming Storm. I would agree with other reviews that the vocals are not on par. Miss the sounds from earlier albums. Still a decent effort, just not quite what I was hoping for.

This album is a step back for Unearth. They've put out some great music before this. Saw them live and they were absolutely awesome, but it doesn't show up in the album.

Consistent and sexy. I love how this band just sticks to there roots and rips and tears all day.

Unearth NEVER disappoint...and this is a testament to that. With this record, they have seemlessly shown that they can evolve, yet retain what made them a staple in the metal world.

This is defiantly a CD in the Unearth of old style, a good CD if you like their old stuff but if you only like Darkness in the light you may be disappointed.

Good all the way through listen.

Quick service great price

great underrated band