There is something almost intimidating about putting pen to paper in respect Ritual and Life. Love. Regret., so integral are they to my understanding of what hardcore can be.  To this day, the fusion of unvarnished humanity, fiercely honed metallic riffage, and darkly melancholic melody is utterly spine-tingling.

‘We never slow down to maybe see a different side, Try to understand there’s other things in life, Reaching outward searching for something else, Treading on and never seeing other ways to live, We follow this path, A path paved by someone else’ (Zero Hour)

Unbroken were originally active between 1991 and 1995, and since reforming for a memorial show for guitarist Eric Allen in 1998, the band have made periodic returns to the live arena.  As well as an array of EPs, the band recorded two full-length albums of which 1993’s Ritual was the first.  All the hallmarks of the band’s iconic, if not yet all fully realised, sound are readily identifiable.  Harsh heartfelt vocals rhythmically explore themes of personal values in the face of imposed social rationalities as the band unleash a brilliantly crafted fusion of hardcore sincerity and metallic intensity.  Stand-out moments include the fierce breakdown on Zero Hour that leads to a ferocious, almost Rollins-esque vocal eruption, the utterly brutal riff that defines Shallow from its mid-point, and the bleak melodicism that shapes Reflection and was to become ever more integral to the band’s sound.

‘If it was real progression, greed would not dictate our souls, If it was real progression, we’d give back what we stole, If it was real progression, we’d burn these lies all down’ (In The Name Of Progression)

The band returned to the studio 12-months later to record Life. Love. Regret. While Unbroken’s sound was one that continually evolved and reformulated itself around its core tenets, this is, perhaps, for many the definitive Unbroken sound. From the moment that the darkly ominous opening riff to D4 unfurls, the intensity never dims.  The riffage still bristles, but feels more muscular, the haunting melodicism that flared throughout Ritual is now riven through the music, and the vocals remain raw, impassioned as they explore both our society’s distorted socio-economic drivers and more personal reflections of emotional isolation.  Defining moments abound.  The spoken word interlude of In The Name Of Progress before the cathartic climax, the menacing melody that fashions the utterly ferocious Razor, the swinging bass line that propels Final Expression, the stomping aggression of Blanket with its frantic mantra of ‘It won’t save you’, the fraught, intense, almost brittle, closer Curtain.

Unbroken released three further EPs before initially calling it a day in 1995 and members went on to play in Swing Kids (Eric Allen), Narrows / Some Girls (Rob Moran), and Kill Holliday (Todd Beattie / Steven Miller).  Our copies of Ritual and Life. Love. Regret. are the 2023 and 2022 reissues respectively from Indecision Records, who first began working with band in 2000 to bring their music back into circulation.  Both albums were originally released by New Age Records.

For more thoughts on Unbroken check out my short piece, Metallic Unicorns And Pompadours, which discusses a fascinating recent interview with the band’s bassist, Rob Moran, on the Cult And Culture podcast.