Unwound and How to Maintain a Legendary Legacy, by Braeden Pelko

On September 6, 2025, I was able to see one of my favorite bands of all time: Unwound. It was one of those concerts I thought I would never get to see. On paper, it seems like Unwound should have been finished for a long time. They haven’t released, let alone even hinted at, new music in almost 25 years; an original member had passed away in 2020; and they had massive expectations to not disappoint the legacy they had built up in the 90’s. That being said, it was one of the best concerts I’ve been to.

Unwound: A Not-so-Brief History

Unwound first was formed under the name Giant Henry in 1988 in Tumwater, Washington.. Original members Justin Trosper (guitar, vocals), Vern Rumsey (bass) and Brandt Sandeno (drums) were inspired by high energy punk and slow, dirty noise rock to create a sound inspired by Melvins, Hüsker Dü and Redd Kross. The band would release a self-titled demo tape and record some original songs before Sandeno left the group for personal reasons. In 1991, The band officially changed their name to Unwound, and Sandeno recommended his friend Sara Lund to replace him on drums. This created the line-up for Unwound for the rest of their initial run.

Unwound released their first album, Fake Train, in 1993. The album is noisy, fast and in your face, traits of its hardcore inspired sound. Most songs on the album such as “Kantina” and “Valentine Card” are high energy and loud. However, other songs provide an ominous atmosphere like the instrumental “We, Are and Was or Is,” and some are minute long high energy noise rock classics like “Lucky Acid.” The album was a solid debut, well received for its unique noise rock and DIY punk style.

In 1994, Unwound followed their debut with a decidedly more artsy album, New Plastic Ideas. This album still maintained the aggressive, noisy hardcore style, but with a blend of more post-rock like sound. Songs like “All Souls Day” and "Entirely Different Matters” showcase the noisy feedback sound fans were used to on Fake Train. On the contrary, more progressive tracks like the purely instrumental “Abstraktions” and the wall of sound that it is “Fiction Friction” showcase the technical songwriting ability of the members to create more unique tracks.

The following year in 1995, The Future of What released as the band’s third album. This album was more rooted in the vein of Fake Train, but with more interlude tracks that provide an overall eerie atmosphere. This album was still more of the classic noise rock the band had then been known for, but with the implementation of more of the post-hardcore influence that inspired them. Tracks like “Demolished” and “Petals Like Bricks” could flatten a small village with how heavy and brooding they are.

Throughout this duration of releases, internal issues were beginning to plague the band. Rapid success following the initial three album run became overwhelming fast. It took a toll on the morale of the members, especially Rumsey. His struggles with alcoholism inhibited a lot of the performances the band made while on tour. Moreover, Trosper was dealing with emotional struggles following the suicide of a close friend in 1995. These struggles were tragic for the entire band, but they never shied away from creating music that was open and vulnerable to their personal experiences. Perhaps these issues led to what a good majority believe is the best album the band has ever produced.

A culmination of introspective thoughts and melancholic moments from all the members created 1996’s Repetition. This album is often cited as not just one of the band’s best, but one of the best albums of the 90s underground rock scene. This titan of an album puts on full display the artsy post-rock they hinted at in New Plastic Ideas without abandoning the noisy sound they have prided themselves in. The album showcases some of the most emotional tracks of the band’s catalogue. Including “Lady Elect” written about Trosper’s friend’s suicide and perhaps their most well-known song “Corpse Pose” about nihilism from lived experience. That being said, the final song on the album, “For Your Entertainment,” is without a doubt one of the best closers I have ever heard. If you want to be blown away by sheer, unadulterated rage about the overwhelming emotions the band had at the time, look no further.

Following Repetition, in 1998, Unwound released Challenge for a Civilized Society. This album brought to close their run of 90s albums. Following such a well-received album was extremely difficult, and they kind of didn’t disappoint? It is definitely thought to be the weakest of the band’s albums, but don’t let that deter you. “Side Effects of Being Tired” is a song that sounds like you are slipping out of reality and “Sonata for Loudspeakers” is meant to blast out your eardrums. Most of the album’s tracks are straightforward and guitar driven, setting it apart from their typical rhythm-driven style.

The final studio release was 2001’s Leaves Turn Inside You. This album had fully embraced the art rock/post-rock style. The tracks were softer, more carefully crafted and some of the most unique to ever come out of the underground indie rock scene. Although you might think it would abandon their noise rock roots, it’s quite an amazing work of art. The utilization of more instruments like synths and bowed strings give it a thought-provoking backdrop. The droning “We Invent You” leads you into the album, the song “Terminus” leads you to analyze the experimentality of every note and beat and “October All Over” is one of those indie rock tracks that is just so fun and one-of-a-kind that you can’t stop listening. Most consider this a huge landmark in the development of what post-rock and underground indie could be defined as.

The band toured extensively in the U.S. following the release of Leaves Turn Inside You, even announcing Europe and Japan tour dates. Original drummer Brandt Sandeno re-joined the band on keyboards for the tour. Many problems afflicted the tour due to Rumsey’s alcoholism rendering him unable to play to his full ability. Following the completion of the U.S. tour dates, the band canceled all remaining international dates. Trosper and Lund grew distant from Rumsey, and Rumsey was trying to convince the others to become a studio-only band only making new music but never performing live, an idea swiftly rejected. The suggestion never came to fruition, and the band broke up in 2002.

Following the breakup, the members went on to play in various side projects. Nothing of note would come out of the Unwound name until 2012, when Trosper, Lund and Rumsey decided to release Live Leaves; a collection of live songs from their last album. Serious deliberation of a reunion was discussed, but Rumsey’s alcoholism ultimately prevented that.

In 2013, the band licensed their back catalog to The Numero Group. The Numero Group is a prominent record label dedicated to the re-releases of underground and “forgotten” artists. This led Unwound to gain a massive cult following through the re-releases of multiple albums and newly-released material that was made when they were known as Giant Henry.

Come summertime of 2017, Rumsey was forced to get sober due to liver failure brought on by alcoholism. Many thought that this could mean a reunion was bound to happen. Rumsey went to rehab in 2018, but relapsed as soon as he was out in 2019. Lund and Trosper tried to rehearse with him, but he was physically unable to play. Lund and Trosper then broke news to Rumsey that they would be reforming and playing shows without him. Though disappointed, Rumsey gave them his blessing to do so. Jared Warren then joined the band, filling in Rumsey’s bass duties. Despite attempts to remain sober, Rumsey was unable to do so. On August 6, 2020, Rumsey passed away at the age of 47.

The band officially reformed in 2022. Scott Seckington was added as another guitarist and the band began playing live shows for the first time in 20 years. The band immediately sold out almost every show that was announced, demonstrating the legacy they had built up over the years.

The Concert

When Unwound announced in early 2025 that they were planning a small tour to celebrate 30 years of The Future of What, I was of course excited. A select set of dates was announced, and I was ecstatic to see that the first show of the tour was going to be in my home city of Cleveland, Ohio. I was literally so pumped, you don’t understand. I got in on a pre-order, waited in my class for tickets to go live, and bought one immediately.

I convinced my fellow Unwound fans—Royce, Tim and Gideon—to accompany me on a journey from Oxford to Cleveland. We stayed the night at my house, and then woke up ready to see one of our favorite bands of all time. The venue was relatively small, a capacity of only 500. Not to mention, it was a sold out show.

The band came on stage and the audience erupted in applause. Everyone immediately focused on the band. The crowd consisted of mostly younger people like myself and middle aged folks, a true testament to how cemented their legacy was even in the years following their breakup. They immediately busted into song and the energy in the room became absolutely electric. For me, I was kind of starstruck; I was seeing a band that, with all due respect, did not need to reform…and they were playing some of my favorite songs of all time.

The concert could have easily been a no energy show of a band way past their prime, but it was instead full of palpable energy that can only be associated with a serious adrenaline rush. The guitars were ladened with feedback, the bass amplifier I was right in front of was making me sick in the best way possible and the speakers quickly made my ears ring.

Following five songs standing in place banging my head to the beat, I turn to my friend Tim. He jumped around with energy, so I just shoved him playfully.. However, that shove caught the attention of another concert goer on the other side of Tim, who then shoved him again. Before we knew it, everyone else saw us pushing Tim around, accidentally creating a mosh pit that would last for the rest of the show.

The energy was maintained for the entirety of the set. No spots in the show were saved for a break from the onslaught of noise that filled the venue. It was deafening, yet we couldn’t stop listening. By the end, everybody was smiling ear to ear, knowing that they had just witnessed something they used to probably dream of. The show ended with me and all my friends sweaty, dehydrated, bruised and our ears ringing more than they ever had. I can’t speak for them, but I would do it again a million times over.

Ultimately, the Unwound concert was one of the best I have ever been to. It felt extremely intimate given the small venue, the cult status of the band and the high energy mosh pit of total strangers elbowing me in the face. All of the band members were focused on their craft that they had perfected for more than three decades now, and everybody there was infatuated with them. The fact that I had even got to see one of my favorite bands is one thing, it’s another thing that they were better than I could have ever expected. For me, it was the true definition of a dream come true.