Producing a cohesive album embracing a varied palate of sounds chock full of talent and musical inspiration, Unwritten Law hits musical gold with their rock-infused Here's To The Mourning. Hard-hitting but simultaneously melodic, Unwritten Law's sixth release demonstrates their artistic growth and maturity. They have evolved into musicians after their simplistic punk origins. More sophisticated than 2002's Elva, Mourning dabbles with electronica and expertly alternates between hard-rocking and radio-friendly fare.
While the album has plenty of ingenious ambition when it comes to its music, Mourning's lyrics belie deeper issues that fester within its creative psyche. Largely detailing addictions and the trials of unresolvable relationships, the lyrics that spill forth from front man Scott Russo are much more despondent than their often upbeat melodies would indicate. With the angst of a wounded bulldog, Russo screams of inner battles between the frustrations of those he loves with the self-centered desires of his addictions.
Reading between the lines of the lyrics sheet, it is difficult to ascertain what Russo is emphasizing-the story of the lyrics or the emotion of the music. He uses \Mourning"" as a self-gratifying bitch session to have it out with the demons in his life, but while he is ranting about a girlfriend that cannot live in his addiction-riddled world, the rest of the band steps out and creates a knockout album.
Much of the album is a well-mixed concoction of hard rock, punk and symphonic mastery with great rhythm, excellent guitars and honest vocal talent. It becomes depressing to listen to such a buoyant album when it knowingly misleads listeners with its clever melodies while its malicious and vengeful lyrics run subliminally in the background.
Although at obvious odds with his life, Russo is nevertheless able to pick up the pieces by picking up his guitar. Just because the lyrics leave more than a little to be desired does not mean that Russo does not create an album worthy of multiple listens. Whether this album worked as therapy for Russo is not apparent, but if Unwritten Law's other members are as therapeutic as the music they created on Here's to the Mourning, then Russo will be in good hands.
