Review: Warren Schoenbright ‘Sunless’
When I was a teenager and listening to nu metal thinking it was the heaviest music out there, I had no clue I’d be reviewing Warren Schoenbright‘s colossal new album years later.
Thinking back on those times is fun and I obviously wouldn’t have traversed the metal path if it wasn’t for those days, but I would love to know my former self’s thoughts on the music I listen to today. Maybe these ideas are coming from a recent viewing of Back To The Future with the family…

Since a DeLorean won’t take me back in time (although maybe I need one to get this review out much earlier) you get to hear my current self’s thoughts of Warren Schoenbright‘s new album Sunless.
The seasoned band return with eight new tracks that explore the mental depths that people reach. Sunless is titled with pensive as the descent to darkness begins with Boiling Vermillion where the echoing reverb fills out the distorted tones. The sound is as endless as night in a sunless void. The cavernous intro track sets the mood overlaying snarling vocals. Follow up track, This Litany They Gargle In Their Throats follows suit to the tone set and builds upon the foundation. The chanting vocals emphasized by the drums is profound while the riffs are reverb soaked trailing into the infinite. We haven’t reached full potential, but the weight of the darkness is starting to pile on.
These Drear Abodes begins and the high pitched uncomfortable drones take over the sound space as the chilling frequency is compensated with grumbling low end and a moving drum beat. The droning remains a constant while the music alters along the path giving the impression of a constant thought, or problem, always pulling at your mind as your surroundings change. You begin to ignore the sound as the song progresses but when the noise suddenly fades, you can feel the change and realize how much you were still paying attention to it. That was a shocking experience and feeds into the nature of the album.
Human Worth has quickly become a favorite label of mine because the thought provoking music they release is unique. It’s almost as if they have created a new genre. The bands on the label have similar qualities focused on dark tones, heavy reverb and harsh vocals. They also take extra care in the drum tone drawing inspiration from some of my favorites like ISIS or Russian Circles, which I always appreciate. Minos The Judge fits this mold and is a perfect example of a Human Worth worthy track. It encompasses all of the above and would be a great introduction to share with, well, everyone.
The chanting vocals emphasized by the drums is profound while the riffs are reverb soaked trailing into the infinite…
The weight of the darkness presses further with the tortured single Christquake. Running at a short two minutes, the song tackles a lot in that brief amount of time. The turning point track is the precursor for the final plunge into the darkest parts of the mind as a countdown is started and one that cannot be reversed. Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm Of The War Drums by A Perfect Circle comes to mind as the clicking of the drumsticks acts as a timer for when chaos ensues in the next song Every Flaming Spire. The clicking is replaced by pummeling drums foreshadowing an immense climax.
The title track, Sunless, is properly placed on the album because darkness has taken over by this point. The bells bring hope and a possible source of light but they fade. A picked riff transitions into pummeling bass and drum. You can feel the heaviness of the album, not only from the content but the sheer volume produced by these two musicians and they just don’t let up.
The longest track on the album also closes it out. Icarus And The Bruised Air opens with a crushing earworm riff that leaves you wanting to restart it immediately to soak it all in. The eight and a half minutes is almost a quarter of the album and each new element brought in is better than the last and each section lasts just long enough to appreciate without becoming repetitive before venturing into new territory. I get a little Amenra vibe on this track but that might be because I obsessively listen to them, and the result is a grand conclusion to a cohesive album.
Warren Schoenbright is a duo that does an outstanding job at making a noise. The sound is full and engaging as the album makes you think and puts you in the shoes (no, the mind) of someone who is in a dark place. As a healthcare worker in the US, mental health is taking a backseat and it’s nice to see bands and labels bringing awareness to a serious problem while also making epic music.
Label: Human Worth
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Josh Schneider