The pressure is on—with Underoath’s latest release, Ø (Disambiguation), everyone is watching intently, waiting for them to screw things up. A lot of bands could not survive all the changes this one has gone through since it’s inception, and facing what many view as it’s biggest blow to date, Underoath rises from the ashes, mostly unscathed.
The First Underoath Album Without Aaron Gillespie
Way back in 1997, Underoath had a modest start—it was just a couple of friends making rock music. There have been numerous changes between now and then as far as the roster is concerned, but this album marks the departure of drummer, Aaron Gillespie, and thus Underoath is now left with no original members.
I suppose that it’s bizarre to think about the fact that Underoath started so many years ago with five high school guys and still stands 13 years later—albeit with an entirely different line-up. But this version of Underoath has been together for years, since They’re Only Chasing Safety-the album that catapulted the band into commercial success. But Gillespie was viewed as many as the glue that held the band together—how will they fare without them.
The Good Things About Ø (Disambiguation)
For those who fear that without Gillespie’s direction, Underoath would abandon any of the elements that fans have come to love about this band, fear not. This album picks up exactly where the last two left off—with an urgency for restoration found in lyrics that travel into some dark corners. The clean vocals that were once provided by Gillespie are now delivered by Spencer Chamberlain (who still covers the screaming as well)—a difficult task that is handled exceptionally well. It doesn’t provide quite the same contrast of the past two albums, but it works nonetheless.
Songs like “Paper Lung” and “Illuminator” delve into a more Secret and Whisper/Saosin type sound than the band usually employs, but their passion and energy allows them to become standout tracks on a solid record. Elsewhere, Chamberlain proves relentless, wrestling with his addiction on “A Divine Eradication” where he screams over and over “where is my fix!?”. Themes of desperation and struggle are prevalent throughout the album and handled with the same positive slant the band has relied on for years.
What Could Have Been Better on Ø (Disambiguation)
There’s not a bad song in the bunch here—but that doesn’t mean this album isn’t a bit of a letdown. Define the Great Line and Lost in the Sound of Separation were similarly themed, but different enough that they were able to capture their own identity. Ø (Disambiguation) seems more like marriage of the two albums, with some slight experimentation thrown in. As a result, it all seems like something we’ve heard before, and it sadly never reaches the level quality of songs like “Writing on the Walls” and “Too Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear” from the last two records.
Lyrically, Chamberlain is playing to his strengths and beating the same themes over and over with a sledge hammer. I understand that his public struggle with drug addiction will likely always impact his work, but these vague assertions of being buried and trapped and constantly attacked become a bit repetitive after three albums that so closely follow that formula. I love his transparency, but the lyrics falter a bit on this album, and everything sounds just a little too familiar.
Final Thoughts on Ø (Disambiguation)
Underoath fans will not be disappointed—this album is as loud and in-your-face as we all hoped it would be. The absence of Gillespie is noticeable and I do miss his clean vocals next to Chamberlain’s growls, but they are compensating quite nicely considering the hole he left. Former Norma Jean drummer, Daniel Davison brings a lot ofenergy to the tracks and as far as drums are concerned, Underoath are not lacking.
I would have love to see some more growth on this album, but maybe with the departure of such a key player, they thought it best to play it safe this time around. I hope that for the next album, they will break out of their shell a little bit and blow our minds. I know they are very much capable of this. In the meantime, they’ve still given us 11 strong tracks that I’m sure will absolutely rock our faces off next time we see them play live.
For those interested in what Gillespie’s up to these days, besides still being a part of The Almost, he will release a solo record on March 8, 2011 entitled Anthem Songs
Joshua Gray - I love to write and I hope that you guys will enjoy reading. I've been pretty hooked on all types of entertainment for a while now, but I ...
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