Review Summary: I'm tangled up in my own image, But I hate who's staring back at me
Underoath have come back with their Eighth album, a whole 8 years since their previous outing (disambiguation) and their first with Drummer/Vocalist Aaron Gillespie in almost 10 years (Lost In the Sound of Separation).
Now, the buzz on this album has already been hugely mixed. I’ll start off by saying – Religion has always played a HUGE part in Underoath and their lives. It was evident if you listened to their music or seen them play live. But now, well they have seemed to grow up a bit. They have (all except keyboardist Chris (publically anyway)) turned their back on their faith and religion, which in my eyes – it’s about ***ing time…. But that’s for a different time. Let’s get back to music.
I’ve heard a lot of complaints saying Erase me is not like their old stuff and that’s true, it’s not. But that is not a bad thing or a surprising thing. Let’s look at Define the Great Line, which in my humble opinion is the pinnacle of what Underoath have ever produced musically. That was over 12 years ago. Show me someone who hasn’t changed and grown in that time and I’ll show you someone who isn’t being honest with themselves. The fan boys on the internet can be pretty vile to Underoath (ironic how a majority of them are faithful people, AMIRIGHT), that’s a part of living in this day and age and from what I have seen it’s rolling right off the back of the Underoath lads and it should, because their new album is some of their best work.
Erase Me is a new beast within its own right. It’s not their heaviest material, it’s not their most experimental material, but it is their most honest material. I don’t know the personal lives of the members, but damn some *** must have gone down to be where they are now (well Spencer mostly).
The album kicks off with a BANG with It Has To Start Somewhere . I will admit, it is a bit misleading. It is really the sound of the Define era, but it’s got something a bit more about it. Maybe it’s the lyrics I connected with, maybe it’s the pounding drums that just doesn’t let up, maybe it’s the panic in Spencer's voice, maybe it’s all of it. But it IS a ***ing great track, my second favorite on the album and a true grabber.
The two singles are up next Rapture and On My Teeth and they are solid tracks. They are slowly evolving the sound with these two tracks whilst keeping their previous sound firmly in place. It has enough ‘old’ Underoath to keep the fanboys happy but enough ‘new’ Underoath to show us where they are taking the album and their sound. Spencer has taken a lot more of the clean vocals on the album which isn’t too surprising considering ‘Sleepwave’ (his band in the downtime of Underoath) hardly used screaming.
The next track Wake Me showcases Spencers newly improved vocals. The song overall is one of the weaker on the album, it’s softer and much more ‘mainstream’ (whatever the *** that is) sounding then anything they have released before, really gave me a bit of a Linkin Park vibe (which is weird for Underoath). But in saying that, the instrumentation of Underoath is still there and Spencer really has improved immensely vocally and I have a soft spot for Linkin Park also so I kind of dug it.
Bloodlust comes up next and it’s a great mix of electronic elements and the old Underoath (minus Spencers Screaming). I dig the riff and guitar work throughout and Aaron has much more singing in this track which is good in my books cause I’ve always been a fan of his voice which has been lacking so far.
Sink with You continues with some electronics and then bangs straight into it. I love the drums in the chorus and the screaming/singing of ‘You Can’t Make It Ok’. This track is one of my favorites off the album.
Ihateit - my words won’t be able to do it any justice. Just listen to it, immerse yourself in it and breathe it in. It’s a certified banger. I will say one thing, pay close attention to the lyrics – they are incredible.
Hold Your Breath brings us back to the SCREAMING! It’s good to hear them dive in head first on this track. Itgives you a bit of a breather in the Chorus when it explodes into some nice melodies and harmonies. Again the lyrics are great and it’s good to hear Spencer screaming again. I’m sure it will please the ‘old’ Underoath fans more so then most tracks on the record.
No Frame brings us right back down. After the heart pounding Hold your Breath it’s good to have a bit of a breather. Again, Aarons drumming is great on the track and Spencer’s vocals has come so far it’s really great hearing him actually singing in key now (They’re Only Chasing Safety had some terrible cleans on his part). The track does pick up at the end but ebbs and flows with great electronics and instrumentation from the lads.
In Motion – kind of brings the same feel as Wake Me does. I’ll be honest, it didn’t click with me until the final 15 seconds when I was getting the song I wish it had been.
Underoath always seem to close their albums off with a more ‘epic’ sounding song. Be it Some Will Seek Forgiveness Others Escape, To Whom It May Concern or Desolate Earth :: The End Is Here there is always something about the last track that just puts a button on the album and really give this listeners something special to go out on. I Gave Up is no different, it slowly creeps up on you then slams you in the face with the chorus that only Underoath know how to do BUT then comes back down again only to give you one more good slap just to remind you that it is Underoath you are listening to.
My overall opinion on the record? It’s a HUGE one for me. The production quality is top notch, that’s what we expect from such a band producing big music. The record really showcases how far the band has come, grown and established themselves in a scene that has been so overplayed and over done that it is refreshing to hear something kind of new. Not just the cookie cutter Screamed verses/Sung Choruses the genre has fallen into. Underoath still are one of the Monsters of the Metalcore scene, and they just raised the bar.
One last thing, give the record a listen. Even if you hate Underoath, give it a listen. It won’t be what you expect and it sure as hell won’t let you down, unless of course you go in wanting old teenager Underoath and if you do, then that’s on you, not them.
