Most people that really delve deep into and are passionate about hardcore and punk know Richmond, Virginia for its fruitful output over the past decade or so, but that wasn't always the case. There was obviously a time when, like many other cities, it was a budding scene on the cusp of something huge. Which brings up to this album from Unseen Force. This may be a little overboard
but if it weren't for the individuals behind Unseen Force, Richmond wouldn't be churning out all the hardcore bands that it does.
In Search of the Truth was originally released in 1986, which puts Unseen Force at the tail end of the original hardcore wave that took the country by storm. During their time the band shared the stage with Agnostic Front, Corrosion of Conformity, The Damned, and 7 Seconds, among others. So this wasn't just some garage band, these guys were essentially the Minor Threat of Richmond.
The eleven tracks that comprise the original recording are very much in line with the recordings of their peers and predecessors - fast and full of anger. Remember, this was released over twenty years ago, so you have to think in terms of the music that existed back then while you listen. The album kicks off with "Fear" and its strong fluid basslines supplied by Greta Brinkman. And while her bass skills are present in similar manner throughout, it is the guitars that defined this band, like so many others of this time period. The blistering guitars of Dewey Rowell and Scott Badger drive the music; there's a definite Greg Ginn influence, which if you were into hardcore in '86 (or even now for that matter) he was your god. Rounded out by Bobby Hufnell's quickness on the kit and Bob Verderami's yells, Unseen Force delivered their own take on the music of "those unpredictable punks."
After the LP tracks are through, we get a few treats. The first is a ten-song live radio set recorded during the band's 1986 tour. Mixed amongst album cuts are three previously unreleased tracks. These new songs feature the same intensity of early hardcore, but they've also got a few nuances that might throw you for a loop - think more gritty and grunge like The Melvins.
Finally, tacked onto the recording is the 1984 demo from pre-Unseen Force band 2000 Maniacs. These songs provide the listener with context for where the roots of Unseen Force were formed. Obviously not part of the Unseen Force cannon but a good addition for any avid collector of early hardcore.
So it comes down to this. Without Unseen Force there probably never would have been Strike Anywhere, Government Warning, Cast Aside, Cloak/Dagger, and thousands of other bands from the Richmond area, not to mention those influenced by the band outside of their hometown. In Search of the Truth is a piece of history and for that reason alone it's worth the pickup.
