"Unsung" | ||||
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Single by Helmet | ||||
from the album Meantime | ||||
Released | 1991 [1] | |||
Genre | Alternative metal [2] | |||
Length | 3:57 | |||
Label | Interscope | |||
Songwriter(s) | Page Hamilton | |||
Producer(s) |
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Helmet singles chronology | ||||
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"Unsung" is a single by the American alternative metal band Helmet from their 1992 album, Meantime . A music video was produced for the song and found significant airplay on MTV in the early 1990s. "Unsung" is recorded in drop D tuning on both guitars and bass, and begins with a bass intro. Its stop-and-go dynamics and catchy rhythm made it somewhat of a flagship of the growing 1990s alternative metal scene. In 1991, a full year before the release of Meantime, Amphetamine Reptile Records issued the "Unsung" 7-inch record (scale 41), featuring an earlier recording of the song.
"Unsung" was Helmet's first single to be released, and was also the lead single to their second album Meantime. The song helped Helmet attain breakthrough success and is their most commercially successful song to date. It reached number 29 on the US Alternative Songs chart and number 32 on the US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "Unsung" was also well received by music critics. Steve Huey from AllMusic reviewed the song positively by stating in his review: "Boasting a stuttering, grinding main riff and the wall-of-noise guitar work of Page Hamilton and Peter Mengede, 'Unsung' was the second video pulled from Helmet's second full-length album, Meantime, and quickly became the band's signature song and an MTV favorite during late 1992. All told, it was probably the single best moment for a band that often emphasized sound over songwriting. 'Unsung' was Helmet at their most focused, alternating between memorable verse and chorus melodies and concluding with a monolithic guitar workout featuring noisy, oddly harmonized chords repeatedly drilled into the listener's skull." [3]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Unsung" | 3:54 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Your Head" | 3:17 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Unsung" | 3:56 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "FBLA" (Live) | 2:24 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Unsung" | 3:56 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Unsung" | 3:56 |
2. | "Better" | 3:10 |
3. | "FBLA" (Live) | 2:24 |
4. | "FBLA II" (Live) | 3:20 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Unsung" | 3:56 |
2. | "Better" | 3:10 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Bad Mood" (Live) | 2:10 |
2. | "Distracted" (Live) | 3:07 |
Year | Publication | Country | Accolade | Rank | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | Kerrang! | United Kingdom | "666 Songs You Must Own (Alternative Rock)" | * | [8] |
"*" denotes an unordered list. |
Helmet is an American alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989 by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton. Helmet has had numerous lineup changes with Hamilton as the only constant member. Since 2010, the band has consisted of Hamilton, drummer Kyle Stevenson, guitarist Dan Beeman and bassist Dave Case.
Meantime is the second studio album and major label debut by American alternative metal band Helmet. It was released on June 23, 1992, through Interscope Records.
Betty is the third studio album by American alternative metal band Helmet, released in 1994 by Interscope Records. It is Helmet's highest charting album in the US.
Aftertaste is the fourth album by American alternative metal band Helmet, released in 1997 on Interscope. It was the band's final album with original members John Stanier (drums) and Henry Bogdan (bass). Guitarist Rob Echeverria, who appeared on Helmet's previous outing, Betty, left the group to join Biohazard. Subsequently, the album was recorded as a three-piece, with Page Hamilton covering all the guitar parts. Guitarist Chris Traynor came on board for the supporting tour.
Strap It On is the debut album by American alternative metal band Helmet. It was first released in 1990 through Amphetamine Reptile Records, and later Interscope Records in 1991.
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The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience is a compilation album released in 1993 by Geffen Records and related to the animated television series Beavis and Butt-Head. The name is a reference to Jimi Hendrix's original band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It is one of the best selling comedy albums and has sold 1,610,000 units as of May 2014. It was certified double platinum by the RIAA in the United States.
"All My Life" is a song by the American band Foo Fighters, released as the first single from their fourth album, One by One. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance, and spent ten straight weeks at number 1 on the Alternative Songs chart and it peaked at number 3 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was also a top 5 hit on the UK Singles Chart.
"Them Bones" is a song by American rock band Alice in Chains. It is the opening track and the second single from their second album, Dirt (1992). "Them Bones" peaked at No. 24 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and at No. 30 on the Alternative Airplay chart. The song was also included on the compilation albums Nothing Safe: Best of the Box (1999), Music Bank (1999), Greatest Hits (2001), The Essential Alice in Chains (2006). A live performance of the song is included on their live album Live (2000).
"Sabotage" is a song by American rap rock group Beastie Boys, released in January 1994 as the first single from their fourth studio album, Ill Communication (1994). The song features traditional rock instrumentation, turntable scratches, heavily distorted bass guitar riffs and lead vocals by Ad-Rock. A moderate commercial success, the song was notable for its video, directed by Spike Jonze; it was also nominated in five categories at the 1994 MTV Music Video Awards.
"Wish" is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from their debut EP Broken (1992). It was released in 1992 as a promotional single from the EP. The drumming on the track was performed by Martin Atkins.
Crowbar is the second studio album by American sludge metal band Crowbar, released on October 12, 1993. It sold 100,000 copies on the now defunct independent label Pavement Music. The singles "All I Had " and "Existence Is Punishment" were played on MTV and received international attention. Crowbar was recorded in New Orleans in 1992 and produced by Phil Anselmo, a childhood friend of Crowbar's founder Kirk Windstein and singer of Pantera.
"Thunder Kiss '65" is a song by American heavy metal band White Zombie, released in 1992 from the band's third studio album, La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One (1992). The song was released as a single and was later included on compilations, such as Rob Zombie's Past, Present & Future (2003) and The Best of Rob Zombie (2006).
"Black Sunshine" is a song initially featured on the album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One by White Zombie which was used as a promo single in 1992 and 1993. The song can also be found on Rob Zombie's Past, Present & Future and the greatest hits album The Best of Rob Zombie. A spoken word section was recorded by Iggy Pop for the intro and was used in the song's final cut.
"Gratitude" is a song by American rap rock group the Beastie Boys, from their third studio album Check Your Head. It was released in October 1992 as the fourth single for the album, primarily serviced to modern rock radio. The live version B-side was recorded in September 1992.
"Liar" is a song by Rollins Band and the lead single from their fourth album, Weight, released in 1994. It was the album's only charting single and is one of the group's best known songs.
"Symphony of Destruction" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released as a single from the band’s fifth studio album, Countdown to Extinction (1992). The lyrics explore the hypothetical situation where an average citizen is placed in a position where he runs the country while the public is led by a phantom government. Penned by vocalist and frontman Dave Mustaine, the song received significant radio play and charted in various territories, making it one of Megadeth's best known songs.
The discography of Helmet, a New York-based alternative metal band formed in 1989, consists of eight full-length studio albums, two compilation albums, 15 singles, and 14 music videos. This list does not include material performed by members or former members of Helmet that was recorded with Adair, Anthrax, Band of Susans, Biohazard, The Cult, Disturbing the Peace, Exodus, Norma Jean, Testament, Tomahawk and White Zombie.
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