| The Wretched; the Ruinous | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 5, 2023 | |||
| Genre | Metalcore | |||
| Length | 36:55 | |||
| Label | Century Media | |||
| Producer | Will Putney | |||
| Unearth chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The Wretched; the Ruinous | ||||
The Wretched; the Ruinous is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band Unearth. The album was released on May 5, 2023, through Century Media Records and was produced by Will Putney. [4] [5] [6]
On January 24, 2023, Unearth released the title track "The Wretched; The Ruinous" along with its music video. [7] A day later, they published the music video for the title track. [8] On March 3, the band unveiled "Mother Betrayal" and its corresponding music video. At the same time, the band announced the album itself and release date, whilst also revealing the album cover and the track list. [9]
On April 4, one month before the album release, the band premiered the third and final single "Into the Abyss" along with a music video. [10] The music video for "Dawn of the Militant" was released May 5, 2023, coinciding with the album release. [11]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Blabbermouth.net | 8/10 [12] |
| Distorted Sound | 7/10 [13] |
| Ghost Cult | 9/10 [14] |
| Metal Injection | 7.5/10 [15] |
| Rock 'N' Load | 9/10 [16] |
The album received generally positive reviews from critics. Dom Lawson from Blabbermouth.net gave the album 8 out of 10 and said: "Worthy of respect for staying the course, but also for smashing harder than ever, Unearth have made their best album since 2008's The March . In the absence of anyone else nailing this substrain of metal with such panache, I hereby proclaim them to be the current kings of this shit." [12] Will Marshall of Distorted Sound scored the album 7 out of 10 and said: "Having declared they took the entire pandemic to write these songs as an exploration of what Unearth has been and is now (virtually the same, let's be honest), The Wretched; The Ruinous delivers everything you'd want from Unearth. It's fun, it's powerful, it'll be a blast to pit to and it's performed with a gusto and self-belief that comes from years of hard work and their deserved place as one of the originators of the scene. Any criticism of the band not changing their sound is moot at this point; they deliver exactly what's expected of them, and The Wretched; The Ruinous is another dependably solid slab of American metalcore from one of its earliest standard bearers." [13] Ghost Cult gave the album a positive review, writing: "As interesting as it has been to see nu-metal make its return, I'm ready for the new wave to make another splash." [14]
Metal Injection rated the album 7.5 out of 10 and stated, "This is a solid offering from one of the metalcore greats. I'm sure these songs will fit nicely with the band's repertoire and motivate the usual forceful (and often scary) reaction in the pit from their diehard fans." [15] Rock 'N' Load praised the album, saying "The Wretched; The Ruinous feels like a very new & exciting chapter to Unearth's career. It's rare to see a band take chances to push themselves in the writing room & still create music that surprises long time fans. At the same time they still keep their core sound at heart. This is a fantastic album that hits hard where it needs to & experiments in the places that feel the best. An incredible album that places high in an already phenomenal discography!" [16]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Wretched; the Ruinous" | 4:20 |
| 2. | "Cremation of the Living" | 3:19 |
| 3. | "Eradicator" | 3:28 |
| 4. | "Mother Betrayal" | 3:31 |
| 5. | "Invictus" | 3:44 |
| 6. | "Call of Existence" | 3:33 |
| 7. | "Dawn of the Militant" | 2:56 |
| 8. | "Aniara" | 0:57 |
| 9. | "Into the Abyss" | 3:23 |
| 10. | "Broken Arrow" | 2:50 |
| 11. | "Theaters of War" | 4:49 |
| Total length: | 36:55 | |
Unearth
Additional personnel
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Digital Albums (ARIA) [17] | 39 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [18] | 94 |
Metalcore is a fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk, that originated in the late 1980s. Metalcore is noted for its use of breakdowns, which are slow, intense passages conducive to moshing, while other defining instrumentation includes heavy guitar riffs often utilizing percussive pedal tones and double bass drumming. Vocalists in the genre typically perform screaming, more popular bands often combine this with the use of standard singing, usually during the bridge or chorus of a song. However, the death growl is also a popular technique within the genre.
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Formed in 2000 by vocalist Tim Lambesis, the band's first full lineup was completed in 2001. The band has released seven albums, one split album, and two compilation albums.
Unearth is an American metalcore band formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1998. The group consists of lead guitarist Buz McGrath, vocalist Trevor Phipps, drummer Mike Justian, bassist Chris O'Toole and rhythm guitarist Peter Layman. They are currently signed to Century Media Records and have released eight studio albums. Their most recent studio album, The Wretched; the Ruinous, was released on May 5, 2023.
In This Moment is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed by singer Maria Brink and guitarist Chris Howorth in 2005. They found drummer Jeff Fabb and started the band as Dying Star. Unhappy with their musical direction, they changed their name to In This Moment and gained two band members, guitarist Blake Bunzel and bassist Josh Newell. In 2005, bassist Newell left the band and was replaced by Jesse Landry.
Veil of Maya is an American metalcore band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 2004. The group consists of guitarist Marc Okubo, drummer Sam Applebaum, bassist Danny Hauser and vocalist Lukas Magyar. They are currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released seven studio albums. Their seventh studio album, Mother, was released on May 12, 2023.
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Lorna Shore is an American deathcore band formed in New Jersey in 2009. The group currently consists of lead guitarist Adam De Micco, drummer Austin Archey, rhythm guitarist Andrew O'Connor, vocalist Will Ramos, and bassist Michael Yager. The band is most known for their 2021 single "To the Hellfire". They have released four studio albums Psalms (2015), Flesh Coffin (2017), Immortal (2020), and Pain Remains (2022). The band has also released four EPs. Since 2017, no original members remain in the band.
Watchers of Rule is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Unearth, released on October 28, 2014 by eOne Music in North America. This marks the first album since their debut The Stings of Conscience that does not feature long time bassist John "Slo" Maggard, also the first album to feature former The Faceless drummer Nick Pierce on drums.
Extinction(s) is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band Unearth, released on November 23, 2018 via Century Media. This is their first album to feature bassist Chris O'Toole and the last to feature rhythm guitarist Ken Susi.
Rapture is the fourth and final studio album by French metalcore band Betraying the Martyrs. It was released on 13 September 2019 through Sumerian Records and was produced by Henrik Udd. It is the band's first release with lead guitarist Steeves Hostin. It is the last album to feature the band's vocalist Aaron Matts before he left the band in April 2021. It is also their last album to be released on this label before the band signed to Out of Line Music in October 2021, and their final studio album overall before their breakup in 2023.
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Scoring the End of the World is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Motionless in White. It was released on June 10, 2022, through Roadrunner Records. The album was produced by Drew Fulk and Justin DeBlieck. It is the band's first album to feature drummer Vinny Mauro and bassist Justin Morrow performing on the release.
Curse of Existence is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band Miss May I. It was released on September 2, 2022, through SharpTone Records and was produced by Will Putney.
In Stasis is the fourth studio album by British progressive metal band Monuments. It was released on 15 April 2022 through Century Media Records and was produced by Mick Gordon. It is the band's first release with vocalist Andy Cizek and the last with longtime bassist Adam Swan.
Death Below is the tenth studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on March 24, 2023, through SharpTone Records. The album was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. It is the band's first studio release with the label.
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Godlike is the sixth studio album by Australian deathcore band Thy Art Is Murder. Originally scheduled for release on 15 September 2023, the album was released on 22 September 2023 through the band's independent label Human Warfare and was produced by Will Putney. This is the band's first album without longtime vocalist Chris "CJ" McMahon, who was fired by the band one day before the album release. It is also the band's first album with new vocalist Tyler Miller.
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