bob.

i can honestly say that Unsane is by far my favorite band on my seemingly endless list.....there is something incredibly urgent about the music and Chris Spencers "vocals" remind me of those beautiful scenes in Taxi Driver where Travis is just driving around getting sicker and sicker of the filth that surrounds him...in other words Unsane is the soundtrack for the man that has been pushed to far

Unsane formed in 1988 when guitar/lead vocalist Chris Spencer, bassist Pete Shore, and drummer Charlie Ondras got together and formed the band Lawn Chair Blisters....quickly they changed the name to Unsnae (the name for the American release of Dario Argento's classic Tenebrae)....they quickly rose in the ranks of some of new York City's finest including CopShootCop, Pussy Galore and Feotus

right from the start Unsane was creating a unique mixture of post hardcore, sludgy metal and blistering intense noise rock....which many feel paved the way for more bands than i can count too.....in the early days Unsane's music was a mixture of loud bass heavy poundings intermixed with uncontrollable spastic noise rock and topped with Spencer's desperate vocal delivery....in 1991 they released their first album on Matador records aptly titled "Unsane"....one look at the cover and you knew exactly what you were in for

this was the beginning of what in my opinion would be some of the greatest album covers in music history....while touring the US in 1992 Charlie Ondras died from an unfortunate heroin overdose and was quickly replaced by ex Swans drummer Vincent Signorell.....the band toured relentlessly and Matador release a compilation of their early singles and comp released entitled Singles 89-92....

Unsane also found themselves in the studio recording the sophomore album Total Destruction....which was released on Matador/Atlantic in 1994...the cover of which shows the front of a car that has been covered in blood....Matador also released a Peel Sessions album....Unsane recorded their first video for the single Body Bomb....which depicted a young man slowly losing it and ultimately (and somewhat eerily) walking into the world trade centers with a bomb strapped to him and ending in a large explosion....needless to say even at that time the video got very little airplay on Mtv.....1994 also saw the departure of Pete Shore for apparently unknown reasons and the arrival of Dave Curran and what would become the definitive line up....that same year Atlantic decided to drop Unsane from the roster.....but Unsane quickly found the loving arms of Amphetamine Reptile records and that same year the ever loving ears of yours truly

in 1995 Unsane released what in my opinion is their most important album....Scattered Smothered & Covered (the name of which comes from an egg dish served at a chain of white trash restaurants in the US called The Waffle House).....on this album Unsane created what would become "their" sound....slightly more structured but even more intense.....this album also spawned the closest thing too a hit for the band with the opening track "Scrape"...mainly due to some airplay on Mtv of the video....the video simply shows skateboard crashes intermixed with live footage of the band and was voted by Mtv to be in the top ten funniest videos of all time

in 1997 they released a live album called AmRep Christmas: Live at The Turf Club, St. Paul MN....if you are ever in Minneapolis i highly suggest checking out the Turf Club....its a great venue and very friendly to all that isd noise rock....and they have an amazing jukebox ....i mainly mention this album to give an example of just how much influence this band has on my life....the opening track to the album is "Sick"....it stars with then usual live album...talking audience and guitar tuning....then you hear a blood curdling scream and Dave laughing and saying "well alright!"....i find that to be one of the funniest things i've ever heard and still to this day exclaim "well alright!" daily....nobody ever understands the reference

in 1998 Unsane released my personal favorite album Occupational Hazard on Relapse....this was also the first of many times i got to see them play live....while touring the album in Europe....Chris walked outside of a club in Austria....somebody said "Hey" and he answered with "what?" and was then answered with a bat to the face....he was beaten by four men literally within inches of his life.....from what i understand they never caught the attackers but felt it was likely a group of Austrian Nationalist who assumed Chris was a member of the army and stationed at a near by base....he spent months recovering in the hospital which basically put Unsane on hiatus

during the hiatus Vinny opened a tattoo shop in the New York area, Dave form a band called JJ Players Club and Chris formed a band called The Cutthroats 9

in 2003 the band reformed and released a greatest hits comp called Lambhouse named for the butcher shop that Chris buys the blood from for the album covers....they also extensively toured

on this tour i was living in Minneapolis and went to see them when they came to town at the Triple Rock Social Club....the audience literally consisted on me, AmRep owner Tom Hazelmyer, two women and two other (very drunk guys)....6 people total in an otherwise empty club....Unsane fucking killed it that night....by far the best show i have ever been too....i also got to hang out with and drink the night away with one of my all time favorite bands....and i can honestly say that all three are some of the nicest most approachable people i've ever met....had a great night talking about horror films and music

in 2005 Unsane released their 5th studio album and final release for Relapse called Blood Run....which is nothing less than a perfect continuation of the bands damn near perfect discography....in 2007 Unsane released Visqueen on Mike Patton's Ipecac label and last year they released their 87th studio album on the infamous Alternative Tentacle label entitled Wreck.....for a bunch of old guys who play some of the most intense and aggressive music out there....this album is amazing

although Unsane have not broken up....all three are concentrating on other projects Vinny formed a band called A Storm of Light with Josh Graham of Neurosis, Dave formed a band called Pigs and Chris is apparently recording the second Celan album with members of Einsturzende Neubauten and Oxbow


it was very difficult for me to decided which album i would want to review as their most important album.....it was really a toss up between Scattered and Occupational Hazard....and in all honesty it came down to two songs that made me decided that their definitive album is in face Scattered Smothered and Covered



"WELL ALRIIIGHT!!!"

the opening track to this album is ironicly like getting hit in the face with a bat....Scrape is mean....heavy as an elephant and takes no prisoners....this is also the beginning of what i think could be called the Unsane formula.....i also think that this song has one of the best examples of Chris's desperate scream....at about 2:40

then a somewhat out of place bluesy harmonica....and then the pounding of your life....Alleged....is by far one of my favorite songs by Unsane....the slow building intro....and into the pounding bass and drums...mixed with the scratchy disconnected guitar....and the lyrics are simple and yet filled with a true intelligence that people who live in major cities know "my block! can you guess my race?!"....i don't think i've made a mix tape that has not included this song

Blame Me continues the album momentum with great guitar licks and again just an amazing dynamic between Dave and Vinny

Out is is a fine example of what Unsane is...thunderous with noisy blues inspired scratchy guitar....and Chris's trademark "man pushed to the edge" screaming....i just don't see how him screaming "i've been waiting so long....for things to calm down" could not strike a chord with you...

Can't See is probably the closest Unsane comes to upbeat on the album...mainly due to the fact that is has a fairly fast beat....i also think this track is an excellent example of Vinny's drumming and how well it fits with the band as a whole

enter deal breaker one....Get Off My Back....this is why i love this band....the only lyrics are the title but the music is sooooo intense and just perfectly expresses the feeling of the weight of everything pounding you into submission.....seriously i think this is one the best songs they have ever written.....every time i have seen them play...they play this song and each time it just gets longer and more intense....if i ever lose my shit and go to a parade with a loaded rifle....this song will be playing in a continuous loop right up to the last shot into my temple

straight into Blew...where Chris seems to replace his normal desperate scream with an angry growl.....i love the guitar in this song

next up is Empty Cartridge...which i would say is a fan favorite....great bass intro

then we switch things up a bit....as Dave takes over vocals on No Loss...the drumming in the beginning fantastic....i also think that this is another great example of just how well Chris plays the guitar....probably because he isn't using all of his energy on the vocals....seriously look at any picture of him live...

Test My Faith returns with Chris on vocals and back to the typical pummeling that Unsane delivers

then into Ruin which is about as close to "punk" that Unsane gets on this album....upbeat and almost fun music...practically danceable

and into deal breaker two....Swim...this is just a fine example of everything great about Unsane...it's slow and ominous with great breakdowns throughout the entire song....and the desperation of hearing someone scream "Breathe!".....it is a perfect end to a damn near perfect album


thanks for reading

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