Underoath Albums (5)
'Lost in the Sound of Separation'
Release Date 9/1/2008
Tracks 11
Label Virgin
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
2006's Define the Great Line proved to be a turning point for faith-based, post-hardcore/screamo outfit Underoath. While the tendency to dissolve into the abyss of angtsy emo-pop was still there, there was a darkness lurking in the nooks and crannies between the crackling snare hits and heavy "drop-d" riffing that hinted at a little pre-evolution, a notion that comes to fruition with their sixth studio record and fourth for Solid State (the metal subdivision of Tooth & Nail Records). Lost in the Sound of Separation gets off to a rocky start with its two most forgettable songs, "Breathing in a New Mentality" and "Anyone Can Dig a Hole But It Takes a Real Man to Call It Home," both of which are big, loud, mean, monotonous, and virtually interchangeable with any other formulaic "loud, quiet, scream, loud, quiet, scream" alt metal tune. However, it doesn't take long for Separation to rescue itself from painfully serious, aggro-MTV mediocrity, as those two tracks are quickly followed up by the riveting "A Fault Line, A Fault of Mine" and "Emergency Broadcast: The End Is Near," two slightly experimental, highly melodic cuts (make that four, as "Too Bright to See Too Loud to Hear" and near-instrumental closer "Desolate Earth: The End Is Near" are mini-masterpieces of hope and anguish) that not only signal growth for the Florida ensemble, but deliver on the dark promises that haunted Define the Great Line, exposing a more mature, post-apocalyptic nightmare that manages to give equal time to both loss and redemption, declaring allegiance to neither. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
'Survive, Kaleidoscope'
Release Date 1/1/2008
Tracks 13
Label EMI CMG
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
This live CD/DVD combo leans heavily on material from 2006's Define the Great Line. A good amount of material from their earlier releases as well shows their progress as a band, all to the tune of Spence Chamberlain's thunderous vocal assault. If there is anything to say about the band's live show after being a mainstay on the Warped Tour, it's that their relentless energy swirls to a peak on-stage. The set list is a good introduction for new listeners, and the capturing of the live experience also makes this a must-have for fans. ~ Jared Johnson, All Music Guide
'They're Only Chasing Safety'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 10
Label EMI CMG
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Whether you describe this type of alternative rock as screamo, post-hardcore, or melodic hardcore, albums like They're Only Chasing Safety are all about contrasts -- heaven contrasting with hell, melody contrasting with sledgehammer brutality, "normal" singing (whatever "normal" is) contrasting with tortured, agonized, death-all-over-your-face screaming. This screamo/post-hardcore/melodic hardcore approach is quite different from full-fledged metalcore; while metalcore units like Hatebreed, Brick Bath, and Finland's notoriously ferocious Rotten Sound go right for the jugular, Underoath and similar bands prefer to mix honey with vinegar. Overall, the Tampa, FL, residents do a decent job of integrating the honey and the vinegar on They're Only Chasing Safety, which is their first album since Spencer Chamberlain replaced Dallas Taylor as lead singer. After Taylor's departure in 2003, some fans had strong reservations about Underoath carrying on without him. But Chamberlain has no problem taking over the lead vocalist spot on this 2004 release, and he seems to have a firm grasp of the sort of good cop/bad cop and heaven/hell contrasts that characterize a screamo disc like They're Only Chasing Safety. Of course, the screamo aesthetic is hardly unique to Underoath; anyone who has spent time listening to Nora, From Autumn to Ashes, Hopesfall, or School for Heroes will see the parallels between Underoath and those bands. But lyrically, one thing that separates Underoath from other screamo outfits is their Christian orientation. Not that the Floridians beat listeners over the head with Christianity -- if anything, their Christian references are subliminal on this CD, which explains why secular audiences have been receptive to them. They're Only Chasing Safety is mildly uneven -- some of the tunes hold up better than others -- but more often that not, it's a respectable outing from this post-Taylor edition of Underoath. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'The Changing of the Times'
Release Date 1/1/2002
Tracks 10
Label Solid State
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Underoath stands at the heavy metal crossroads on Changing of the Times, a hardcore album that parallels classic arena rock. Though vocalist Dallas Taylor spits out dark lyrics of doom and gloom ("The romance has been dead for years/But I've been afraid to dig the grave" from "When the Sun Sleeps") with a screeching, screaming delivery, keyboardist Christopher Dudley's orchestral textures soften the blow with anthemic melodies and intriguing counterpoint. Dueling guitarists Tim McTague and Octavio Fernandez forsake solos for static rhythmic patterns, arpeggios, and linear melodies as drummer Aaron Gillespie affords lush multi-tracked backing vocals that cushion Taylor's histrionic tales of mayhem and distress with fond harmonies. "A Message for Adrienne" unearths a deep-rooted punk affinity via spoken word snippets that sound as if Johnny Rotten wandered into the studio. The title track, like many of the cuts, bemoans the loss of a relationship with manic angst. If Taylor ever opts to sing in full voice, Underoath has the ability to emerge from the underground with modern rock hitmaking potential. This collection is for hardcore genre fans only and is not necessarily a bad choice. ~ Tom Semioli, All Music Guide
