“Under Bright Sadness” Will Be Their New Album |

Unteachers And A Strange Proposal

There are things that never cease to amaze. Combinations that seem impossible and proposals that somehow breathe new life into today’s heavy music. Unteachers aims to do just that with their new release, titled “Under Bright Sadness”—an album that’s hard to categorize but is steeped in an aesthetic infused with punk, experimental sounds, and progressive metal, with a certain gothic and atmospheric flair. It’s a rich blend of elements that promises a raw and wonderful journey.
Hailing from Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the US, Unteachers was formed by Stephen Mark Sarro after the demise of previous project Tantrum Of The Muse. With their roots in noise, sludge and progressive rock and metal, but always unrestrained by preconceived barriers or definitions, the Unteachers sound is unpredictable; multifaceted, adventurous and powerfully emotive, it evokes different sonic reference points from every individual that encounters it. In a world increasingly obsessed by tags and labels, Unteachers deftly sidestep them all.

Now, after their 2007 EP, Untantrum, the 2012 split with Grace & Thieves and 2014 full length debut album A Human Comedy, the second Unteachers album is finally upon us. Sarro and long-term friend and creative partner, drummer Wyse, began work on Under Bright Sadness way back in 2021 – but the demands of family life and the day-to-day trials and tribulations of human existence have made it a long, hard road to get to this point of completion. Under Bright Sadness is a record that holds a mirror to the lives and times of two men; fathers, sons, husbands, brothers and keepers of the Faith, bound by a lifetime of uncompromising passion for music…and the years of its creation become an irrelevance as the music starts to unfold.
And that’s how we arrive at Under Bright Sadness, an album meant only for open minds and ears ready to dive beyond the boundaries set by any label. With 11 tracks, Unteachers delivers a sound that’s unconventional for our times, rooted in ’70s progressive rock, with elements of post-punk and melodies that are as melancholic as they are intriguing.

It all kicks off with an intro that oscillates between chilling sounds and a voice whose cry rises through it all. This is “Passage I: The Harrowing Of Hell,” which serves as a sort of welcome to the world of Unteachers—a world that’s as strange and raw as it is melodic and introspective. That’s the feeling you get with “Psalmnambulist,” which is, in essence, the album’s first track.
Built on a foundation of moderately atmospheric and heavy riffs, “Households Of A Cosmic War” emerges—a beautiful journey through ’70s-inspired, progressive melodies that completely break from context to create something entirely unexpected, serving as the lead single and a preview of what this new album will be like—an album that also has a knack for veering off into unexpected territory, such as the fast and furious “Song Of Seven Pillars,” which shatters the atmosphere that had already been established.
“Passage II: Womb Waker” is a sort of interlude that, much like the first track, introduces us to another part of the album—a highly experimental phase—and, as if it were a movie, “Devils Blessed By The Rising Sun” kicks off with cinematic dialogue that takes us into a punk-inspired atmosphere, in some ways rooted in traditional metal, but blended with the progressive elements that are always at the core of Unteachers’ musical foundation.
Meanwhile, here we have another of the must-hear gems from Under Bright Sadness. We’re referring to “Last Rites For Lesser Magic,” which opens with the words of theologian and philosopher Francis Schaeffer, set against a sort of chaotic atmosphere—musically speaking, of course—and is arguably one of the highlights of this album.
Once again, with another calm interlude in between (“Passage III: Grief Garden”), we arrive at “The Orb Was Only Dust,” which, at a medium, almost hypnotic pace punctuated by heavy riffs, takes us through a melodic piece with an almost psychedelic feel at times.
Finally, a beautiful melody begins to bring things full circle with “Passage IV: Time Removed,” leading us to the final track, “Lamps Of Vision”—a stunning 11-minute experiment that takes us through various strange passages, using its versatility to deliver a grand finale to an album that is sure to appeal to minds and ears seeking something different.

Recorded at the Sarro homestead on an isolated farm in Lancaster County, then superbly mastered by Cliffy Huntington at Steinhaus Mastering (Dropkick Murphys, My Silent Wake, Sentinel Beast etc) the sound of Under Bright Sadness has weight and form, a tactile nature that makes you want to reach into the songs and touch the richly textured guitars. The album will be released on October the 16th by Rottweiler Records and for those with open hearts and minds it will prove to be one of the albums of the year – and a listening experience to revisit time and again in the years to come.
“Under Bright Sadness” is a strange and spine-tingling journey through creativity and musical edginess; heavy guitars, loose melodies, and plenty of experimentation make this album a must-listen for anyone who likes to delve into something different.
Available on Rottweiler Records starting October 16, in the meantime, here’s one of the previews the band has released and, of course, their social media handles so you can follow them and stay up to date on their latest news…

https://www.facebook.com/RottweilerRecords

https://www.facebook.com/unteachers

https://www.instagram.com/unteachersofficial