MONSTA X has come a long way from the 2015 K-pop reality survival show that formed them. Called No.Mercy, the series produced a squad that quickly became known as “beast idols” for their masculine hip-hop personas and athletic, high-energy performances. More than a decade later, on the other side of mandatory military service, MONSTA X has matured and mellowed.Unfold, their third fully English-language album, is the group at their most introspective and melodic to date. MONSTA X’s softer, more sentimental side has arguably been more prominent on the group’s English-language albums, which also include 2020’s All About Luv and 2021’s The Dreaming. On 2026’s Unfold, members Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney and I.M. confront their inner demons with a mercy their formational reality show claimed was not possible. Lead single “heal” incorporates soulful gospel into its chorus. The emotional anthem asserts how hard it is to heal when two people in a relationship aren’t honest about what’s broken, setting a confessional tone for the rest of the 10-track album. On pop-rock song “growing pains”, the members track their own progression from teen idols to 30-something artists, embracing the lack of clarity they still feel. “glass half empty” complicates the optimism, lamenting being the saviour in a relationship at the cost of taking care of one’s self. MONSTA X maintains this duality until the very end, wrapping Unfold with romantic pop ballad “on our way” and R&B breakup track “sorry to myself”.