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Oftentimes in rock music, a band can hit a single moment of brilliance, and be expected to repeat that formula throughout the rest of it's career. Yet, as a creative unit, musical growth is an integral part of a band's evolution; though it runs the risk of alienating fans and following, some of the better bands realize the greatest reward comes maintaining the band's soul, putting the music first, while taking full responsibility for whatever the outcome may be. With their new album "Glow", Unjust is a classic example of this.
Hailing from the San Francisco East Bay , Unjust first entered the scene in 1999 with the release of their debut effort, "Thin Line Emotions". The album shared the Bay Area metal sound forged by the likes of Metallica, Machine Head, Skinlab and Faith No More. The album was heavy and brooding; it was released on Dutch label Mascot Records, along with positive reviews across Europe including Kerrang! and Terrorizer. Unjust were also invited to play at the annual Dynamo Open Air Festival in Holland.
Their sophomore release followed in 2001, entitled "Makeshift Grey". With "Makeshift", Unjust started to come into their own and created a dark and gloomy metal atmosphere with songs like "Come Feel Me" and "Nylon". Not only did the band continue to solidify their standing in Europe through Mascot; the album also became an underground hit with Bay Area rock fans and garnered the band interest from major labels in the U.S., as well as and landing them a spot at The California Music Awards, and air play on San Francisco's Live 105. It was also during this time that the band began to embark in a new direction, partially brought on with induction of new guitarist/songwriter Mike Merino; in addition to their trademark riffage, their music began to hint at a moodiness and depth that would eventually hit it's stride with their next latest, "Glow".
Considering their East Bay metal roots, "Glow" is a very bold step into the musical future. True, the heavy influences are still there; but the emphasis on melody and songwriting takes the group to an entirely different level...and one begins to wonder whether this is a band that has merely had the guts to mature, or whether it is an entirely new band altogether. Nevertheless, not only have they managed to maintain the support of their early fans, but in fact attracted scores of new ones; which already makes "Glow" a smashing success from that perspective alone. And there is nowhere to go from here but up. |
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