Sarah Wang

Hozier’s album “Unreal Unearth: Unending” weaves varying genres – from blues to folk to soul – and experimentation with synth and orchestral compositions into a compelling tracklist of 26 songs. Borrowing the narrative structure and many thematic elements of Dante’s “Inferno”, the album explores the depths of human emotion and delivers sharp societal commentary. 

Hozier’s album “Unreal Unearth: Unending” weaves varying genres—from blues to folk to soul—and experimentation with synth and orchestral compositions into a compelling tracklist of 26 songs. Borrowing the narrative structure and many thematic elements of Dante’s “Inferno,” the album explores the depths of human emotion and delivers sharp societal commentary. 

“Unreal Unearth” follows Dante’s journey through hell in “Inferno,” with one or two songs tied to each of the nine circles of hell. Hozier reflects on each of the nine sins featured in “Inferno” with plenty of allusions and biblical or hellenistic imagery.

Hozier pursues thematic complexity, forging beyond a basic musical interpretation of sin. In “Eat Your Young,” he condemns cutthroat, self-serving capitalism with intense, if somewhat trite, imagery of cannibalism. But he also celebrates the idealism and non-materialism of youth through the duet “Damage Gets Done” with Brandi Carlile. In this album, he tackles a variety of social and political themes, from women’s rights in “Swan Upon Leda” and cultural genocide in “Butchered Tongue.”

I appreciate how he also includes lighter songs, which create contrast with the otherwise melancholic tracklist, allowing both ends of the emotional spectrum to resonate. My favorite among these upbeat tracks is “Anything But,” which declares “If I was a riptide / I wouldn’t take you out.” The lyrics seem romantic due to its cheery backing track and high vocal riffs, but it’s actually a humorously ironic song about wanting to stay far, far away from someone.

Like “Inferno,” “Unreal Unearth” alludes to biblical and Hellenistic tales. Most prominently, “I, Carrion” (Icarian) features a punny spin on the classic myth of Icarus. “I, Carrion” cleverly transforms the original myth of Icarus into a love song, using the idea of weightlessness in mid-air to describe the euphoria of love. The buildup of its soft vocals and bittersweet orchestral backing create a sense of being lifted while conveying the tragedy of Icarus. Hozier demonstrates his ability to use Greek myth to add complexity to his lyricism with intentionality and accuracy – he is not sprinkling in superficial references to mythological figures just to sound more sophisticated.

Yet I feel some songs suffer from a bombastic tone and heavy-handed messaging. For example, “All Things End”: with the main idea right in the title, the song is as subtle as “a two-tonne weight” on your chest. On the upside, the song does interact with its source material—the circle of heresy—in an interesting way, through lyrics about abandoning faith in a relationship. But the track is still very blatant in its themes, which to me comes off as bland and a bit overblown. 

However, the final track of the original disc ends on a high note with “First Light.” It’s a grand song, with plenty of synth and a choral backing—exemplifying Hozier’s departure from his old style. Although it carries a risk of sounding grandiose to some listeners, I think the song excellently captures both the melancholy and hopefulness of turning a fresh page with its slow, poignant lyrics. I find that “Unreal Unearth” nicely demonstrates Hozier’s vocal advancement from his previous albums, which sound repressed in contrast with his current emotional and technical vocal range. 

Hozier’s recent release “Unreal Unearth: Unending” expanded “Unreal Unearth” with additional songs that were cut from the original album. Call them Unreal Unearthed. Although their themes overlap with the original disc, they offer distinct explorations of love, literature, politics and society and explore aspects of society that don’t fit neatly into the nine sins or the narrative of “Inferno.”

Despite being a “bonus” track, “Too Sweet” outperformed all of Hozier’s other songs from “Unreal Unearth: Unending,” topping charts in seven countries—Hozier’s biggest hit since his breakout track “Take Me to Church.” With catchy guitar and satisfying vocals, it captures nearly all of Hozier’s musical strengths. However, although its rhymes and similes are original, I find them distractingly cliché due to their basic structure and elements: “soft as the rain / pretty as a vine / sweet as a grape.” But even the clichés support its messaging, as the almost-generic lyrics fulfill “Too Sweet”’s theme of the joys of mediocrity (“I aim low, I aim true”). Ultimately, I find it to stand out from the rest of the album for its catchiness and captivating bass.

Although the album has its weak points, namely in its grandiose or on-the-nose messaging, “Unreal Unearth” is varied and poignant, adeptly communicating both its origins in Dante’s “Inferno” and Hozier’s own messages while creating a touching sense of bittersweetness.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Top tracks: Too Sweet, Anything But, First Light