Unwritten Law have always been one of the most underrated bands in SoCal punk/pop-punk. They’ve been around since the early nineties, and releasing consistently good music since then. Their 1998 self-titled is a pivotal punk album of the period, and their breakthrough 2001 Elva (containing the #1 Alt hit “Seeing Red”) finally got them the mainstream radio and MTV play they richly deserved. Even though they never achieved the level of success as their compatriots blink–182 (Elva has yet to reach gold status), they can still slay many of those same compatriots in the live setting.
It’s been eleven years since we last heard any new music from the band, but the wait is finally over. The band has announced the July 29th release of their next album THE HUM, and this week have dropped their latest single “Ghosted”, and it’s as good as you could have hoped. The heavier metal riffs that open the song tease you into thinking it’s going to be one of their heavier numbers, but then the song does a 180 into reggae-ish rhythm. The bass breakdown stands out throughout the song, and the festival-ready chorus finds frontman Russo screaming “I’m a ghost. I’m a parasite you’re my host. I’m a forest fire you’re the raging flood. Over and over.” The bridge mixes raging power chords with electro-blips before an acoustic take on the chorus softens you up for the final punch.
Very much missed Unwritten Law, and it’s great to see them back in classic fashion. Listen to their new jam here.
The Indy Review 
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