Underoath
Ø (Disambiguation)


4.0
excellent

Review

by Athom EMERITUS
November 7th, 2010 | 3518 replies


Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

Review Summary: They were made for this

For anyone following Underoath, 2010 started with a surprise when the band's sole remaining founding father Aaron Gillespie announced that he would be leaving to pursue his solo project The Almost. With his clean vocals being the most easily palatable and recognizable part of Underoath's music, the online rumor mill soon began to speculate on the future of the long running metalcore act. This wasn't the first time they had lost an integral member, lest we forget that for the first few years of their existence they were a rotating door of musicians – some of which would find fame in other projects like former vocalist Dallas Taylor. If Disambiguation is proof of anything, it is that Gillespie's departure further solidified their resolve and was inconsequential in affecting the soul of Underoath, as the substance of the album lies not in the all too familiar war of opposing egos that one would expect but in the struggle that now sole vocalist Spencer Chamberlain has been waging against his own demons: addiction.

Brooding and immediate, Disambiguation is the most focused Underoath album to date. Where prior releases juxtaposed light and dark in a make shift cosmic power play of the forces of good and evil that made certain that the listener left with their mind fixed on the positive, Disambiguation removes this dichotomy from the fold and dives face first into the abyss. As Spencer descends further down the rabbit hole that is himself, the rest of the band are more than willing to follow his lead. This leads to a refined fury that permeates every facet of Disambiguation, making it easily the most visceral release in their discography. The prior restraint that albums like Define the Great Line and Lost in the Sound of Separation thrived off of is no more. Disambiguation is dark, maddening, and one step away from throwing itself over the edge, and this is the very thing that makes it such powerful catharsis.

Disambiguation clearly shows that Underoath are still very much the same well oiled machine that brought us Define the Great Line back in 2006 when they firmly established themselves as the kings of the scene, even if that title is somewhat constricting and misleading as their music transcends its given tags and connects with their fanbase at a deeper level, regardless of belief structure. Yes, Underoath as a band have done more than their fair share to add to their notoriety as a Christian band, but it's not in a christ or creed that their message is rooted, it is in the triumphs and defeats that come with just being alive and the collective togetherness that comes with seeing your self as part of something more.



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user ratings (1883)
3.9
excellent
other reviews of this album
1 of
  • wyankeif1337 (4.5)
    With a major lineup change and a heap of new influences, Underoath unleash what is indispu...

    UORawker (4.5)
    Underoath’s consistency and creativity keep them creating music that is both intense and...

    Alexd93 (4.5)
    A Dark, Haunting, and Powerful Experience. Truly Superb....

    ebay (4.5)
    Chamberlain's fix set Underoath on an arguably improved path....

  • Chevy182 (5)
    An ever evolving/changing band finally achieves consistency, Ø (Disambiguation) proves to...



Comments:Add a Comment 
Athom
Emeritus
November 8th 2010


17244 Comments


been a while since i wrote something.

SpottedTrout
November 8th 2010


545 Comments


Nice review, i still need to hear this

Ire
November 8th 2010


41944 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Nice review.

Gyromania
November 8th 2010


37380 Comments


Look at the length! Pretty high praise for this, I'm not sure if I'll like it as much as everyone else here, but I'll check it out at the very least. Great review.

Enotron
November 8th 2010


7695 Comments


word dude nice to see you writing again

never heard this band, don't know whether i would like them or not

crazyblinddude
November 8th 2010


3388 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Nice review. This album is not quite a 4 for me. It's incredibly solid, but it doesn't seem to go too many places. Still it's very well done.

Athom
Emeritus
November 8th 2010


17244 Comments


for me the last 4 underoath albums have all been just as good

Sowing
Moderator
November 8th 2010


44414 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

i gotta check this out

Eko
November 8th 2010


2118 Comments


is the most focused Underoath album to date

again? if this continues theyre just going to write really weird concept albums...

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
November 8th 2010


32288 Comments


Agree with Chan (except I listened twice)

Eko
November 8th 2010


2118 Comments


"Lost in the sound of recovery"

what?

Athom
Emeritus
November 8th 2010


17244 Comments


there's nothing all that weird to the album. the heavy parts are the same as what they've been doing for the last two albums and the electronic elements just sound like Deftones.

Sowing
Moderator
November 8th 2010


44414 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

deftones rule so thats a good thing

Ire
November 8th 2010


41944 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

i like the other summary

Athom
Emeritus
November 8th 2010


17244 Comments


ugh fine

Eko
November 8th 2010


2118 Comments


he made a Reversal

Maniac!
November 8th 2010


28550 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I like this review

Alexd93
November 8th 2010


365 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Damnit! Your review is good!

AlexTM510
November 8th 2010


1473 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

This review is gold, especially the last line. And yea i think the fact that they pretty much dive right into the dark sound makes it so fitting.

Alexd93
November 8th 2010


365 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

In Division is the best song, Absolute masterpiece right there!



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