Album Review: The Unity - The Hellish Joyride

I'm certainly fickle when it comes to power metal. That's probably true of everything, but it stands out more with power metal than other genres, both because I still have a soft spot for what got me into metal in general, and because the roteness of the music stands out to me the most. There is so much power metal that does the same old things over and over, which is fine. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with doing what the fans expect, but I'm in a position where I'm completely bored by the blueprint being followed so closely.

The Unity was one of those bands who caught my attention with their debut album. It wasn't breaking the mold, but it was done so well it gave me those feelings I had when I first found the genre. That made it even more disappointing that the next time I heard them was a return to the ennui I feel toward most power metal. So now we ask ourselves if two out of three isn't so bad (I know they have three previous albums, but I'm pretty sure I missed one of them entirely), or if they are on the list of bands with one fluke in their catalog.

This album is supposed to stretch some of the boundaries of power metal, bringing more diversity to the mix. That might be true, but it isn't always a good thing. "Only The Good Die Young" is more of a melodic rock song than anything metal, and it stands out for just how lethargic is sounds in the context of the album. It isn't even the pacing of the song that does it, but rather that the hook has no power or energy to it. It sloughs off my ears immediately, and I can't help but think a bit of power metal grandeur would have helped.

I'm also not impressed by "Something Good, which spends a minute and a half with a musical backdrop of just droning notes and drums. It doesn't set a compelling start, and like the previous song I mentioned, the chorus doesn't really elevate things either. That's the weird thing about this record. It's clearly melodic, but something about the delivery of them falls flat the majority of the time. It's hard to hear the fire or the passion in the songs, which leaves them feeling more boring than they might be if given a bit more 'oomph'.

By the time the record enters the second half, there isn't much that can be done to turn the tide. I will give them credit for not being power metal by-the-numbers, but these songs don't have the big hooks and memorable melodies I expect from either power metal or the more hard rock influences they're bringing in. It reminds me of when Edguy shifted their direction for the "Rocket Ride" album. The focus shifted, but Edguy kept delivering unforgettable songs that hit us over the head with hooks. This record might do that three times out of the ten full songs. It's not a disaster, but it's also not living up to the standard I've heard before.

For that reason, we can say this is another disappointment, and The Unity is probably always going to be one of those one album bands, for me at least.