The Unseen

The Unseen, a Boston hardcore punk quintet, originated in 1993 when high school friends Mark Unseen on vocals and drums, Tripp Underwood on vocals and bass, and lead guitarist Scott Unseen first united. Remarkably stable in personnel, the group soon added Paul Russo for guitar and vocals, while Pat Melzard came aboard on drums in 2002. Following numerous appearances on punk compilations, they delivered the LPs So This Is Freedom and Lower Class Crucifixion through A-F Records, the imprint founded by Pittsburgh punk iconoclasts Anti-Flag. Nonstop road work continued alongside the release of raw, cut-and-paste-styled 7" singles bearing titles such as "Raise Your Finger, Raise Your Fist" and "Piss Off, You Worthless Lying Fuck." The 2001 LP The Anger and the Truth arrived via California's BYO, with Explode following in 2003; those years also brought a shared tour with Millencolin and a slot on the 2003 Vans Warped Tour. Russo had already exited by the arrival of State of Discontent two years later on Hellcat Records. After several temporary replacements, longtime friend and guitarist Jonny completed the five-piece following that album's release, allowing the Unseen to maintain an active schedule of both headlining shows and support dates for Tiger Army and Rancid across the U.S. and overseas. Straight from the road the members entered the studio in late 2006 to record their fifth album. Internal Salvation emerged in July 2007, coinciding with another round of dates on that summer's Warped Tour.