Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

The Oncoming Storm

 
Album Review: The Oncoming Storm

  • Artist: Unearth
  • Rating: StarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: June 29, 2004
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Enhanced CD-ROM
  • Genre: Rock

Review

If Unearth wanted to cover a classic Dean Martin hit, the logical choice would be 1960's "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" -- not because The Oncoming Storm sounds anything at all like the late Rat Pack crooner, but because Unearth does, in fact, feel like a kick in the head. Mercy is not a high priority on this 2004 release, which demonstrates just how nasty, punishing, and downright vicious the metalcore style can be. Some of Unearth's riffing hints at thrash metal, but The Oncoming Storm is a metalcore disc first and foremost -- and most of the bands that were part of thrash in the '80s and early '90s (Metallica, Megadeth, Exodus, Anthrax, among others) were not as harsh as Unearth. From Trevor Phipps' screaming vocals to the band's suffocating use of density, tracks like "Black Hearts Now Reign," "Lie to Purify," and "Failure" pack a brutal punch. Those who don't comprehend metalcore (which is definitely an acquired taste) might wonder why a disc that merits words like harsh, nasty, vicious, and punishing would appeal to anyone -- what do Unearth's fans get out of such an album? Why would they appreciate and enjoy something that's so unmusical? And the answer is that for Unearth and other metalcore units, The Oncoming Storm is all about the thrill of pure, raw exhilaration as well as emotional catharsis; Phipps' nonstop screaming is very cathartic for Unearth and their fans in the mosh pit. The Oncoming Storm falls short of remarkable, but it's a noteworthy, generally decent demonstration of metalcore's harshly exhilarating powers. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
The Great Dividers Trevor Phipps, Unearth Unearth (4:02)
Failure (Lyrics) Trevor Phipps, Unearth Unearth (3:11)
This Lying World (Lyrics) Unearth, Trevor Phipps Unearth (4:16)
Black Hearts Now Reign (Lyrics) Unearth, Trevor Phipps Unearth (4:03)
Zombie Autopilot (Lyrics) Trevor Phipps, Unearth Unearth (4:09)
Bloodlust of the Human Condition (Lyrics) Unearth, Trevor Phipps Unearth (3:28)
Lie to Purify (Lyrics) Trevor Phipps, Unearth Unearth (3:40)
Endless (Lyrics) Trevor Phipps, Unearth Unearth (3:22)
Aries (Lyrics) Trevor Phipps, Unearth Unearth (2:39)
Predetermined Sky (Lyrics) Trevor Phipps, Unearth Unearth (4:04)
False Idols (Lyrics) Unearth, Trevor Phipps Unearth (6:14)
Black Hearts Now Reign [*][Multimedia Track] Unearth, Trevor Phipps Unearth

Credits

Unearth (Engineer), Buz McGrath (Guitar), Adam Dutkiewicz (Producer), Doug Spangenberg (Video Director), Matt Hayes (Layout Design), Adam Dutkiewicz (Engineer), Adam Dutkiewicz (Mixing), Aaron Marsh (Layout Design), Cory Kilduff (Layout Design)
Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
Wikipedia: The Oncoming Storm
Top
The Oncoming Storm
Studio album by Unearth
Released June 29, 2004
October 18, 2005 (re-issue)
Recorded Zing Recording Studios in Westfield, Massachusetts
Genre Metalcore
Length 40:44
47:14 (re-issue)
Label Metal Blade
Producer Adam Dutkiewicz
Professional reviews
Unearth chronology
Endless
(2002)
The Oncoming Storm
(2004)
Our Days of Eulogy
(2005)

The Oncoming Storm is the second studio album by Unearth, released on June 29, 2004.

The album entered the Billboard album charts at number 105, selling 13,285 copies.[1] The album has gone on to sell in excess of 100,000 copies in the US.

The album was produced by Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, and was their first major release through Metal Blade Records. This was also their first album with drummer Mike Justian, replacing Mike Rudberg.

A special edition of the album was released on October 18, 2005. It contained two bonus tracks, and a DVD featuring live performances, backstage footage, interviews, an inside look to the recording of the album and four music videos.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "The Great Dividers" – 4:02
  2. "Failure" – 3:12
  3. "This Lying World" – 4:17
  4. "Black Hearts Now Reign" – 4:03
  5. "Zombie Autopilot" – 4:10
  6. "Bloodlust of the Human Condition" – 3:28
  7. "Lie to Purify" – 3:41
  8. "Endless" – 3:23
  9. "Aries" – 2:40
  10. "Predetermined Sky" – 4:05
  11. "False Idols" – 3:43

2005 Bonus Tracks

  1. "One Step Away" – 3:18
  2. "The Charm" – 3:13

Credits

  • Album produced, engineered and mixed by Adam Dutkiewicz
  • Mastered by Alan Douches
  • Layout by Cory Kilduff, Matt Hayes and Aaron Marsh

Line-up

  • Trevor Phipps – vocals
  • Buz McGrath – Guitar
  • Ken Susi – Guitar (Backing vocals on "Endless", "Black Hearts Now Reign", "Lie to Purify")
  • John Maggard – Bass, Guitar (Piano on "Aries")
  • Mike Justian – drums

Charts

Year Chart Position
2006 The Billboard 200 105
2006 Top Heatseekers 1
2006 Top Independent Albums 6

References

  1. ^ Blabbermouth.net, "SOUNDSCAN Report: RUSH, ATREYU, UNEARTH, NEUROSIS", Posted July 7, 2004.

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Oncoming Storm" Read more