UNSEEN, THE:
Explode: CD
It’s tough for me to wholeheartedly endorse The Unseen partially because it bugs me when bands go so far to dress up like classic punk rockers. It’s my hang up, I know, but really, it’s not Halloween and you’re not shocking anyone. You’d be better off just wearing what’s comfortable. Also, I think The Unseen’s over-the-top crusty look tends to stick them in a category with much lesser bands like the Casualties, which is a shame, because The Unseen is way better. My other hang up with The Unseen is that I liked guitarist Paul Russo’s first band, The Pinkerton Thugs, so much better. When I can get beyond those two things, which really are my problem and not the band’s, I have to admit that The Unseen is a solid band. They bring a lot of energy to their songs, and, though it’s fast and angry throughout, there’s enough difference between songs to keep things interesting. I like the way Paul sings, too, and he seems to be singing more on Explode than he did on their last album. Overall, it makes for a pretty good listen. –Sean Carswell (BYO)