The Uneasy - “Time to Kill” (2023)

The Uneasy is a rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2020. Emily Jean's forceful and passionate vocals are accompanied by the pounding rhythms of Kevin Grewen on bass, Max Yassky on drums, Travis Smith on rhythm guitar, and Johnny V's blazing lead guitar.

“Time to Kill” is the name of their debut album and the band wrote about it: "It is a story of rebirth and transformation. It’s about confronting your shadow and dismantling your ego in order to get to the root of your pain. Without pressing through the darkness, without that feeling of discomfort how could we ever learn to fully appreciate or even identify the light at the other side? “Time to Kill” is a reminder that it’s never too late to make your life what you want it to be regardless of your past. You are in control of your own destiny. We can open our minds and hearts in ways that help us ascend and in turn help others grow or we can stay angry, hopeless and lost. The choice is yours."

The album is comprised of 11 songs for 48 minutes of music. "Prelude" introduces us to the journey with soft vocals and an inspired arrangement before the end of the track, connected to "Want Some", an energetic punk song with amazing vocals, heavy guitars and a very dynamic rhythm section. This is a great track, one of my favourites of the album. The title track follows - almost 7 minutes long - where we find lots of melodies and attention to detail with super catchy vocals, energetic guitars (what a sound!) and a fantastic rhythm section. "27" slows down the pace, at least during the verses. I love the arrangement and the final guitar solo on this one.

Among the other songs, I like the energy of "Slave" and "Why?!" (the "furious" main riff is one of my favourite moments of the album), the almost pop melodies of "Mistaken identities" (we needed a break from the track before!) and the catchiness of "Dangerous Expectations" and "In the Depths", both released as singles. The album closes with a piano for the ballad "Heart of Hearts", with the usual spectacular arrangement and performance by the band even if in a different territory, with this one.

This is a quality release from every point of view. Performance, production, and arrangement are absolutely top-notch, and listening to “Time to Kill” is a pleasure in its entirety. Tons of inspiration and variety, this is a great album, trust me. 

Give it a go by clicking on the Spotify player below and remember to follow The Uneasy on social on Instagram and Youtube.