If you’re a fan of Unearth, you’ve probably liked them since the early 2000’s and already moved out of your parents house, but you also saw the rise of metalcore and nu-metal during that era and have an opinion about them. If that’s the case, you may have a similar opinion as Unearth’s frontman Trevor Phipps who isn’t a fan of the nu metal resurgence.
During an interview with The Prelude Press, Phipps spoke about the changes he has noticed in the recent metal scene, including the broader acceptance of metal or the revival of nu metal in younger bands, by saying:
“When we started, metal was kind of a bad word. All these bands that loved metal and were playing metal songs, like us and Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, we all got tagged as metalcore because we were playing underground, more hardcore style shows. Then our bands became more popular, and old bands started to come back from the dead or a short lull, and metal was getting cool again, then it just kind of blew up. And now, there’s so many bands in the scene, and they’re all pretty heavy – some might be trendy, some may not be here in a year or two – but I do like that the music has gotten really heavy.
As far as what I don’t like about it, I was never a fan of nu metal, and I do see a lot of younger bands mixing a lot of those elements in there with the heavy riffs. I’m not saying they shouldn’t do it, cause that’s what they grew up listening to – I’m just not a fan of that style. But I just think with music, it keeps on going and it keeps on changing, and of course that style would eventually work its way into the underground, cause that’s just how that goes.”
He also spoke about what he would like to change with the current music scene, particularly in metal:
I guess on that point, to get rid of elitists. Metal is a worldwide music. That’s the best part about metal is that it’s accepted in most corners of the planet. Not every style of bands are. It’s not that way with lets say, country music. But their limit is much higher than what a metal band might reach, cause that’s just more accessible. Because it’s aggressive music, only a small pool of people will actually like it in each area, and for fans – or even bands – to turn their backs on bands because they don’t like their sound, that’s something that needs to go.
I think those festivals in Europe really have it on lock, because there is that sense of community. The fans all camp out. The bands on the festivals are all quite different, and it kind of brings everyone together. I think that America has to make that change as well.”
Unearth is currently doing a North American run in company of Reflections and Hollow Earth and you can catch them at any of the remaining dates listed below:
04/05 Denver, CO – Marquis Theater
04/06 CO Springs, CO – The Black Sheep
04/07 Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
04/08 OK City, OK – 89th Street Collective
04/09 Austin, TX – Empire Control Room
04/10 Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s
04/11 Biloxi, MS – Kress Live
04/12 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
04/13 Fayetteville, NC – Drunken Horse Pub
04/14 Washington, DC – Rock & Roll Hotel
04/15 New York, NY – Santos Party House
[via theprp.com]
