Unwritten Law – The Hum CD (Cleopatra Records)

It’s nearly impossible to argue about melodic punk rock music without mentioning Unwritten Law. The band was formed over three decades ago, released numerous full-length releases, signed to a major label, and went through several lineup changes over the years. Still, they’re going strong and sound better than ever. It’s been a while since I heard some news about them until they signed to Cleopatra Records. Shortly after, they released a new single, which later led to a full-length called The Hum. It’s their first piece of work in over a decade, and I was lucky enough to grab a CD for review. Therefore, I will talk about this release a little bit more today.

The Hum sounds just like a modern punk rock album should sound nowadays. These guys thought about everything while writing, composing, recording, and producing this record. You’ll notice that as soon as you put vinyl on the turntable and press play or whatever music format you prefer. Unwritten Law invested brilliant ideas, impressive musicianship, heart, and soul into The Hum. Each composition showcases how much effort these guys put into it. From excellent, massive, powerful riffs to mindblowing rhythmic maneuvers, Unwritten Law unquestionably sounds much better than many contemporary pop-punk bands. Even if performing music isn’t something you’re entirely familiar with, you’ll notice these guys are not joking around with their tracks.

Once you hear those arpeggiated chord progressions, palm-muted segments, heavy low-end tones, cleverly assembled melodies, harmonies, complex rhythmic acrobatics, and catchy vocal parts, then you’ll realize The Hum is a perfect pop-punk release decorated with many other complementary genres. You heard it right. Perhaps Unwritten Law solely rely upon pop-punk sound, but there’s more than meets the eye. The band incorporated some properties of alternative, indie rock, indie pop, skate punk, reggae, ska, and dub, so The Hum is an unquestionably diverse but thoughtfully combined album. Therefore, these songs will apply to your listening apparatus even if you’re not entirely into melodic punk rock music. Every composition possesses marvelous structure, arrangements, and accentuations that fit nicely with the mindblowing musicianship of the entire band. Don’t miss this album if you’re into modern pop-punk music. You’ll love it! Head over to Cleopatra Records for more information about the ordering.