I had the pleasure to talk with Peavy many many times and after the last studio album (Welcome To The Other Side), I ask him what was his three favorite Rage albums. He mentioned Trapped, Black In Mind and XIII, which are also my favorite Rage records.

I also told him at that time : "I don't like Welcome To The Other Side. Rage seems to have lost its unity and its typical sound. What a shame !!!". He answered me that "Welcome To The Other Side is the first record with the new lineup, that Rage's fans should be patient as next Rage albums will be much more heavy and less "experimental". The time has come for Rage to come back to the Trapped album sound". Hell, he said the truth !

Unity sees Rage back to the roots … in other words, back to Trapped and The Missing Link period. The orchestral parts of Ghost, XIII and Welcome To The Other Side have been left aside (finally !!!) and the heavy/thrash Rage trademark of the band will hit you right in the face. First three songs (All I Want, Insanity, Down) will become new Rage classics (fantastic songs !) and the power coming out of Unity hasn't been reached since Black In Mind. The melodies will remind you immediately Trapped or Black In Mind, without forgetting End Of All Days.

Fifth song (Dies Irae) is the only orchestral/symphonic song on Unity and is inspired by the opera - Smolski's touch. Except the fifth track, Unity is melodic, fast, heavy, thrashy … and is a pure moment of pleasure from the first second till the last one. Peavy sings like never before (you can feel the guy is happy again), Smolski plays like a genius with his guitar (listen to Unity, the instrumental track) and Mike Terrana hits the drums like a monster !!! And the song-writting ? DAMNED the song-writting is back at the "rendez-vous" and I am down on my knees. The best Rage album since a long long long time. Who said the best ever ?

Yes Rage is back and the new lineup has not killed this band. I was very afraid - not to said very very disappointed - by the last album, which was too experimental for my taste. Unity sees Rage back to the top, back to the place it shouldn't have lost after XIII. Now please Peavy, the time has come to record a live album (two Cds please). I am dying - so does Rage's fans - to hear your first songs, Rage's classics and your new rockets with this lineup ... as something tells me this live will be a killer !

As for today, if you are a Rage's fan, don't miss this one for nothing. And if you still don't know this band, Unity is the best possible start after XIII. Trust me !