10 Incredible Metal Albums You May Have Missed In 2021
9. Strength - Unto Others
In the 2010s, a resurgence of '80s nostalgia seemed to make its way across all of society. Netflix’s Stranger Things was the show to watch and music aficionados were falling in love with the Synthwave movement, taking the sharp soundscapes of John Carpenter movies and updating them for modern audiences. Although this cultural shift does seem to be petering out in recent years, plenty of bands are still plumbing the decade for inspiration.
Unto Others are just one of these bands, but one which have managed to take some of the more disparate elements of the '80s and meld them into a cohesive whole. Setting the foundations with some Metallica-style chug and overlaying some Maidenesque solos is nothing new in the world of Metal, but having the audacity to layer the whole thing with haunting post-punk vocals and ominous synths is what really sets them apart.
The result is an album steeped in vampiric romanticism that knows how to take a sledgehammer to your speakers when the situation calls for it. This is most noticeable on album highlight ‘When Will Gods Work Be Done’, where this melodic melancholy shifts in the closing minutes for a full on barrage of chug and double kick drums.
The '80s may be long gone, but this is a band who knows a timeless sound when they hear it, and Strength is a fitting title for how they make it their own.
Listen To: When Will God’s Work Be Done