UNEARTH Guitarist Talks About Upcoming Album

Even though UNEARTH guitarist Ken Susi confirmed to the Alternative Press on Feb. 14 that the New England metallers would be one of the rotating co-headliners on the second stage at this summer's Ozzfest, Susi told MTV.com in a brand-new interview that he can't say for sure what his band's going to be doing ("I've heard rumors we may be attending, and it would be great if we're lucky enough to do it," he said). What Susi does know is that next week UNEARTH will board a plane bound for Seattle, where they'll spend the next two months recording their forthcoming, yet-untitled LP — which hits stores August 8.

UNEARTH chose producer Terry Date (PANTERA, DEFTONES) to helm the project — a decision made over some of Susi's mother's home cooking.

"We had other producers in mind, and we'd locked in a producer who's an amazing talent and shall remain nameless," Susi explained to MTV.com. "But Terry stepped in at the right time and had the right things to tell us. He had dinner over my family's house, and we just sat around talking about music and life. He just seemed like he's laid-back enough to help us find what it is inside that needs to come out on tape, but he also has the type of stern attitude where he'll tell you if something's wrong."

When UNEARTH started writing the follow-up to 2004's "The Oncoming Storm", "we just wanted to simplify a little bit," Susi said. "We wanted to do what we normally do, as far as writing intricate riffs and really hard things to play — things that come together really well. But we wanted to strip everything down and have a more organic record — just a more natural feeling, with fewer triggers and more power and realness. We've always been a live band more than a recorded band, and I think we need to start transporting what we do live onto record."

While in Seattle, Susi said the band plans to record a cover of "It's Clobberin' Time", which will appear on an upcoming tribute to New York hardcore legends SICK OF IT ALL.