There’s absolutely no denying it: on August 17, 2015, Underoath fans lost it when the band announced that they would be returning, after tweeting out “We have been Underoath,” only several years ago after their final show concluded. Whether this reunion is long term or just a nostalgia run is uncertain, but one thing is for sure: we have one of the defining outfits of the metalcore genre taking the stage across America right now, and we get to witness them perform two albums that helped solidify their place among the genre’s legendary acts, They’re Only Chasing Safety and Define The Great Line, even if it’s for just one last time. Join us as we take a brief look back at the history and discography of Underoath.
Act of Depression
Released: July 4, 1999 (re-released on August 20, 2013)
Label: Takehold Records (re-released through Solid State Records)
Producer: James Paul Wisner
Lineup:
Dallas Taylor - lead vocals
Corey Steger - guitar/vocals
Octavio Fernandez - bass
Aaron Gillespie - drums (backing vocals on “A Love So Pure”, lead on “Spirit of a Living God”)
Our first introduction to Underoath comes in the form of Act of Depression, showcasing a far darker side of the band. Their sound was much closer to death metal than it was to the pop/screaming combination that came later on They’re Only Chasing Safety (an album that helped define the band’s direction for their coming ascension into fame).
Act of Depression was recorded in March 1999 at Audiolab Studios in Tampa, Florida. Before the Solid State Records re-release in 2013, the album was actually out of print for a bit of time, as only 2,000 copies were originally pressed for the release.
While the album shows the band exploring the worlds of metalcore, death metal, and even black metal, Depression introduces the band’s Christian background to the world. If anything, Underoath would be gateway for Christian metal bands into the music scene as time went on, and they were one of the first in the scene to gain fame while carrying the title of a “Christian metal” band. If they weren’t the first, they could easily be considered the most notable. The title of “Christian metal band” would follow the band for many years.
Cries of the Past
Released: July 4, 2000 (re-released August 20, 2013)
Label: Takehold Records (re-released through Solid State Records)
Producer: James Paul Wisner
Lineup:
Dallas Taylor - lead vocals
Corey Steger - lead guitar, backing vocals
Octavio Fernandez - rhythm guitar
Christopher Dudley - keyboards
Matt Clark - bass guitar
Aaron Gillespie - drums
Between the release of Act of Depression in 1999 and Cries of the Past in 2000, a few line-up changes occurred in the Underoath camp. The band solidified their lineup as a six-piece, introducing keyboardist Christopher Dudley and bassist Matt Clark (Octavio Fernandez moved to rhythm guitar for this record). As the album that could be considered as Underoath’s darkest release in their entire seven album discography, Cries of the Past was recorded in 2000 with producer James Paul Wisner at Wisner Productions in Saint Cloud, Florida. Just like Act of Depression, this album had a limited number of albums printed and remained out of print for sometime (only 3,000 copies were released through Takehold Records).
This is the last Underoath album to feature Corey Steger on guitar, the only album in their entire discography to not have Aaron Gillespie on vocals for any song, and the band’s last album to be released through Takehold Records. The album also features the track “And I Dreamt of You”, the longest song ever recorded by Underoath, coming in at 11 minutes and 24 seconds.
Interestingly enough, the album only features five songs, but clocks in around 42 minutes, with each song averaging close to a seven and a half minute running time.
The Changing of Times
Released: February 26, 2002
Label: Solid State Records
Producer: James Paul Wisner
Lineup:
Dallas Taylor - lead vocals
Aaron Gillespie - drums/vocals on tracks 1, 5, and 9
Octavio Fernandez - rhythm guitar
Tim McTague - lead guitar
William Nottke - bass guitar
Chris Dudley - keyboards
The band’s successful future was slowing coming together, as they inched closer and closer to the lineup that fans know and love today. Cries of the Past was the last album for both Matt Clark and Corey Steger, and current guitar Tim McTague was introduced to the lineup as the lead guitar player. William Nottke was recruited to play bass for the record, and recording took place at Wisner Productions in Saint Cloud, Florida with the band’s longtime producer James Paul Wisner. Additionally, the band had inked a deal with Solid State Records.
The album is still features a much darker direction than current Underoath records, but we can tell that changes are happening. The title of the record is incredibly appropriate. More post-hardcore elements are breaking through the surface on each of these tracks, bringing us closer and closer to the Underoath we know today. “When The Sun Sleeps”, the first track on the record, became the band’s first single (the only in their career to feature vocalist Dallas Taylor).
Alas, the lineup didn’t stay; William Nottke and both Octavio Fernandez and Dallas Taylor left after the album was released. The changing of times was definitely upon the group, but based on their next release, it was a change for the better.
They’re Only Chasing Safety
Released: June 15, 2004
Label: Solid State Records
Producer: James Paul Wisner
Lineup:
Spencer Chamberlain - lead vocals
Aaron Gillespie - drums/vocals
Timothy McTague - lead guitar
Grant Brandell - bass guitar
James Smith - rhythm guitar
Chris Dudley - keyboards
The iconic album artwork that features a closeup woman’s face enveloped by an oxygen mask sends waves of happiness through the bodies of even the band’s most seasoned fans. They’re Only Chasing Safety was the album that broke Underoath into stardom. The times ahead would be challenging, but the payoff would be the most rewarding that the band had ever encountered.
While the album was ready to be recorded at Wisner Productions with Dallas Taylor on vocals, he was soon replaced by the current lead vocalist (and soon-to-be post-hardcore icon) Spencer Chamberlain. Bassist Grant Brandell and guitarist James Smith were brought on board as well, officially locking down the band’s lineup. The album was officially released on June 15, 2004, introducing a style that mixed heavy, screaming vocals and breakdowns with poppy, clean-sung choruses that would soon become a staple in both the band’s sound and live show. The release of Safety saw the band selling more copies than the sales of their first three albums combined.
The album’s two singles, “Reinventing Your Exit” and “It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door”, both had music videos that received constant airplay on both MTV2 and Fuse, leading to a great deal of exposure for the band.
In 2005, Underoath participated in the first ever Taste of Chaos tour, and soon embarked on their first ever headlining run and a short run on the Vans Warped Tour. Underoath was beginning to see massive success, and it would only go up from there with the introduction of their fifth studio album.
As of 2011, the album was certified gold by the RIAA.
Define The Great Line
Released: June 20, 2006
Label: Tooth & Nail
Producers: Matt Goldman, Adam Dutkiewicz
Lineup:
Spencer Chamberlain - lead vocals
Aaron Gillespie - drums/vocals
Grant Brandell - bass guitar
Timothy McTague - lead guitar
James Smith - rhythm guitar
Chris Dudley - keyboards
The stark dichotomy between pop-like vocals from Aaron Gillespie and intense screaming vocals from Spencer Chamberlain were a contributing factor to the band’s rise. Their sound was unique. But they wanted to prove that they could still be as heavy, if not heavier, than any other band out there and do it well. Underoath’s fifth studio album, Define The Great Line, would bring the band even further into the mainstream then before, contributing to not only their unbelievable future success, but the introduction of the term “screamo” to general pop culture.
While Underoath’s lineup would be consistent through the next several albums, several other changes came about the affected the recording and writing process of Define The Great Line. The band opted to work with producers Matt Goldman and Adam Dutkiweicz rather than longtime producer James Paul Wisner. Define The Great Line would also mark the first album for the band with the same lineup, and the first for their new record deal with Tooth & Nail Records.
The album was recorded from January to March 2006 at both Zing Recording Studios in Westfield, MA and Glow in the Dark Studios in Atlanta, GA. While clean vocals are present throughout the record, it is stylistically a very heavy album. “In Regards To Myself” kicks off with a quiet guitar riff, and shows no mercy on the listener once the entire band kicks in. The band even went on to say that their musical style on Define was “nothing super intentional, they [the songs] just came out the way when we went to write.” It’s clear that it marked yet another turning point for the band, probably more than Safety. They had found a way to maintain their early, metalcore sensibilities that were showcased on earlier records, but make it work in a modern time.
Lyrically, the band focused on Christianity and personal struggles, with lyrical themes focusing on expressions of pain, frustration, and weariness. Spencer Chamberlain has gone on record to state the lyrics were deeply personal and relate to life moments and situations that helped him become who he is today.
Upon its release, Define The Great Line received overwhelmingly universal acclaim from both critics and fans alike. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling over 98,000 copies during its first week. In 2006, the album was certified gold by the RIAA. The band even went on to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Short Form Music Video for “Writing On The Walls”.
Lost In The Sound of Separation
Released: September 2, 2008
Label: Tooth & Nail, Solid State
Producers: Adam Dutkiewicz and Matt Goldman
Lineup:
Spencer Chamberlain - lead vocals
Aaron Gillespie - drums/vocals
Tim McTague - lead guitar
Chris Dudley - keyboards
Grant Brandell - bass guitar
James Smith - rhythm guitar
If fans thought there was any indication that Underoath’s sound couldn’t develop, heavier, or more intricate, they were damn wrong. Lost In The Sound of Separation is heavier, darker, and more chaotic than its predecessors. The recording took place from March to May 2008 at Glow in the Dark Studios in Atlanta, GA, and it showed the band returning to work with producers Adam Dutkiewicz and Matt Goldman.
The album features a return to the darkness that once permeated Underoath’s earlier works, but in an even more beautiful way than more. It helps that the band had more of a budget and producers working with them, of course, but there is so much tension, intensity, and chaotic energy that seeps from each track. If I remember correctly, I don’t believe that any moment in the album slows down until the tenth track. A fire was lit under the band’s ass for this record, and it creates one of the most hauntingly beautiful records of their tenured career.
The release of Underoath’s next chapter received critical acclaim from both fans and critics alike. peaking at number 8 on the Billboard 200 upon its release and selling 56,000 copies in the US alone. The album spawned two singles, “Desperate Times, Desperate Measures” and “Too Bright To See, Too Loud to Hear”. Additionally, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package.
Ø (Disambiguation)
Released: November 9, 2010
Label: Tooth & Nail, Roadrunner
Producers: Matt Goldman, Jeremy S.H. Griffith
Lineup:
Spencer Chamberlain - lead vocals
Tim McTague - lead guitar
James Smith - rhythm guitar
Grant Brandell - bass guitar
Chris Dudley - keyboards
Daniel Davison - drums
Change is a polarizing aspect of life. It can be a wonderful thing, or a terrible thing. Both viewpoints can depend on how you decide to look at said change, or even just by the nature of the situation. Change occurred in a big way prior to the recording of Disambiguation, the seventh (and thus far) last record from Underoath. Aaron Gillespie, the only member to have been present on the recording of every Underoath album since Act of Depression, and the last original member of the band, decided to depart from the group. Eventually, the band enlisted former Norma Jean drummer Daniel Davison to take over on drums, while Chamberlain took on the role of both screaming and clean vocals.
While Lost in the Sound of Separation was chaotic and dark, Disambiguation is just, well, dark. It’s a fantastic record, yet something feels different. Spencer Chamberlain was the sole vocalist, and the intensity of his words was brilliantly communicated to listeners on every track. Additionally, the band worked with producers Matt Goldman and Jeremy S.H. Griffin at Glow in the Dark Studios in Atlanta from May to July 2010 to bring the album to life.
The album received good reception, debuting at number 23 on the Billboard 200 and selling 24,000 copies in its first week. Three years later, however, Underoath announced to fans that they would be disbanding. The band announced one “final” tour with openers mewithoutYou, As Cities Burn, and Letlive. Their final performance (at the time) took place at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg, Florida. To commemorate the show, Aaron Gillespie joined the band onstage to perform “Emergency Broadcast :: The End Is Near” and “Reinventing Your Exit.” For a period of time, Underoath would be no more.
That is, until a cryptic message appeared on the Internet in mid-2015. Rebirth is coming.
Rebirth and the Future
Mid-July 2015. Fans open their Facebook, Twitter, and various other social media accounts to do a usual check of their timelines. Underoath is suddenly back in their news feed, for some odd reason. A sole, cryptic video plays across their screens, with only the words “Rebirth Is Coming” flashed across the screen. Excitement hits us all. It can’t be true… Can it?
As it was later discovered, the audio played in the video, when played backwards, was the chorus for “It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door”.
August 24, 2015. A countdown timer appears on the band’s website. Only time would tell what the clock truly means. The timer hits 00:00:00, and it’s confirmed. They’re back.
Underoath announce via Alternative Press, in an interview with both Spencer Chamberlain and Aaron Gillespie, that they would indeed be reuniting. Their first show since disbanding would be at Self Help Fest in San Bernadino, California on March 19, 2016, and a subsequent reunion tour would follow, where the band would play both They’re Only Chasing Safety and Define The Great Line in full.
As I stated before, only time will tell whether the band’s reunion is temporary or permanent. But one thing is absolutely for certain: Underoath are back, even if temporarily. Their history is a rich one, filled with powerfully crafted music and ridiculously unforgettable live performances. This tour will only add to that history, and we should be honored to be a part of it.
Welcome back, gentlemen. We’ve been waiting for you.
This post was written by Jared Stossel, editor in chief and main photographer/podcaster at Shameless Promotions & Media. He is an avid fan of music, television, and film, and has slowly been diving into the world of comic books. He currently resides in California.