Although having amassed a strong following within the metalcore scene with their first two full-length albums (2001’s The Stings Of Conscience and 2004's The Oncoming Storm), it wasn’t until Boston (Massachusetts) based act Unearth released III: In The Eyes Of Fire that the band really made an impact in a major way, elevating them into the ranks of metalcore’s elite. In the two years since the release of their third album, Unearth has maintained a gruelling tour schedule that has seen them tour across the globe (including two tours of Australia).
Prior to heading into the studio to record their fourth studio album, Unearth have released their first official DVD, Alive From the Apocalypse. What can only be described as all-encompassing, the double DVD. set not only features a full live set from the band (which was recorded in front of a sold-out Californian audience in October 2007), but also a seventy minute documentary that covers the band’s ten year history, eight promotional video clips and a host of extras.
With the release of Alive From the Apocalypse, Unearth have once again taken to the road for a quick two week sprint across the U.S. While in a stopover in St. Louis (Missouri), I caught up with vocalist Trevor Phipps to talk about the making of the DVD., the DVD’s runaway success in Canada and the group’s progress on album number four.
“If you were to ask me if the DVD came out like we had hoped it would, then I would say yes. Actually, Alive From the Apocalypse came together much better than we all thought it would initially! (Laughs) We’re all very proud of it. We really hoped that the documentary would tell our story in an entertaining way, but also portray the band in a way that we wanted to be portrayed. Doug Spangenberg, who works for Space Monkey Studios put it all together, and did a great job. When we decided to put this documentary together, we sat down with Spangenberg and went over the whole time line with him. Basically we wanted to stress to people out there that Unearth didn’t appear overnight. ”The band actually started as far back as 1998. We really wanted to explain in detail the whole story behind the band, beginning from the first line-up, right up to the point where we are at now. So we just told him what we were after, and he went to work armed with all the footage and pictures that we provided him. I think that we’re relieved that we managed to hang onto all the footage that we’ve shot throughout the years. It would have been a different story without it! (laughs) In the end, the whole thing worked out for the best, and I think the DVD tells a good story.”
What really stands out in the documentary is the number of well known friends willing to flesh out Unearth’s story. Names such as Corey Taylor (Slipknot/Stone Sour), Vinnie Paul (Pantera/Damageplan/Hell Yeah), along with members of Every Time I Die, Zao, Poison The Well, Shadows Fall, Underoath, Killswitch Engage, Terror, Madball, Lamb Of God, Divine Heresy, As I Lay Dying feature throughout the film with plenty of sordid stories and positive remarks about all members of the band.
“I can’t say that I’m surprised, because we’re friends with pretty much every band we’ve ever toured with. We’re just a bunch of laid back, easy going dudes that like to have a lot of fun. Every tour that we’re on, we just seem to get along with all the other bands. So I’m not surprised by their comments, but I was very happy and proud with the things they had to say. I mean, Vinnie Paul is like an idol to us. For him to say the things he said was great. Corey Taylor’s words were also great. Hearing the kind words about this band from those dudes is amazing and humbling.”
One particular piece of footage that isn’t credited at the tail end of the documentary is the three minutes of footage lifted from Boston TV, where the ultimate Unearth fan gets a one of a kind tattoo.
“Oh man! You mean where the kid gets (guitarist Ken) Susi’s face tattooed on his ass? Man, I think that kid’s crazy! (laughs) The fact that it’s his very first tattoo is even crazier! I don’t know how he came to decide that having Susi’s face permanently inked on his ass was a great idea, but somehow he did. Maybe he thinks it’s something that people will enjoy seeing. I really do think that kid is nuts! (laughs)”
While the documentary is interesting, it’s the live concert that will really draw most attention from the fans. And for good reason too, as the band appears to have put in a towering performance that really demonstrates the passion and fun that Unearth are synonymous for.
“I’m pretty happy with that show. I mean a real Unearth show, or the best case scenario is when everyone is having a real good time. Our best shows are when the fans are stage diving and all of that crazy stuff is happening in the crowd in front of us. Unfortunately, the show we filmed for the DVD happens to have a barrier between us and the crowd. I guess the club owners insisted on having the barricades there. I wish they weren’t there, but I don’t think it was detrimental to the show. It was still a great show, and in front of a sold out crowd. We all played well, and it felt great being up on stage. I think this band is a very consistent live band. I don’t think we play the tightest at every show, but that doesn’t matter to us. I think it’s more about having a good time and having fun. But having said that, I think the DVD features a pretty decent show from us.”
