As previously reported, Massachusetts metal quintet UNEARTH has begun work on its new album. The follow up to the band’s acclaimed 2006 release III: In the Eyes of Fire is scheduled to drop this October via Metal Blade Records.

Unearth is currently recording at MA’s System Recording Studios with producer Adam Dutkiewicz. The album’s guitar tracks are nearing completion with vocals expected to be tracked in the coming days. The as-yet-untitled record is said to feature the band’s “most dynamic material to date,” combining strong tension and release, abundant guitar solos and a bulldozing power-groove.

In anticipation of the new Unearth album, Metal Blade Records has designed special PC and Mac “news widgets” that fans can download to their desktops and receive updated news, tour information and special behind-the-scenes studio reports in real time. The Unearth “news widgets” are available for Mac Dashboard (Mac only), Google Desktop and Yahoo Widgets (PC only) and can be downloaded now at this location.

Additionally, a second “teaser” look at Unearth working in the studio can be accessed via the band’s MySpace page. Additional looks at the recording of the album, including fly-on-the-wall video footage, riffs and excerpts of new music will be made available as recording continues.

On the topic of the new album’s progress, Unearth guitarist Buz McGrath comments, “All I can say is WOW! We are finishing up guitars right now, and if there were such thing as a “shred meter”, these riffs would've dropped an anvil on it! Combine that with the lyrical lava “T-bone” Phipps is spitting on these tunes and you have the most epic Unearth record ever. I can’t remember the last time we were this excited about one of our records. A riff and a dream...get into it!”

On August 1, Unearth will make a special main stage appearance at the 2008 Wacken Open Air Festival. “Wacken” is the largest exclusively metal music festival in the world and will see UNEARTH share the stage with Iron Maiden, At the Gates, Carcass and more.

In addition to McGrath, Unearth features vocalist Trevor Phipps, guitarist Ken Susi, bassist John Maggard and drummer Derek Kerswill.