On this day in 2012, hundreds of thousands of skinny bros with dyed black hair and Ø tattoos hug their chubby scene girlfriends tightly and shed tears of what I can only assume is extra-strength triple distilled emo sadness, as they lament the worst thing to happen to Underoath since Aaron Gillespie’s departure. After more than 15 years as one of the most important and consistently successful bands in the scene, Underoath have decided to call it quits.
Back when I was a dumb little teenager who wanted to rebel against society in a way that was still acceptable to my youth pastor, I was rly rly into Underoath. I first started listening to them in about 2003, which is lucky; I managed to jump on the bandwagon AFTER their terrible / lulzy pro-life death metal EP’s, and just BEFORE they got popular, so I earned maximum scene points. I non-ironically still really like most of their stuff, and it makes me a little bit sad to know that one of the defining bands of my teenage years are now probably going to move on and form awful old man solo projects or southern-fried country acapella groups or something groce like that. So, it is with a heavy heart that I present to SYWH an obituary to a band that virtually every kid who’s ever worn tight jeans has loved at some point.
OLD STUFF:
I am choosing to exclude their first two EP’s because A) old =/= good (I don’t suffer from tr00bonic plague anymore) and B) this is already going to be massively TL;DR and C) I like u guise and don’t wanna subject you to it. So I’ll start this off at their first full length album, THE CHANGING OF TIMES, from 2002.
This is the only song anyone remembers from this record, and it’s the perfect example of super lulzy embarrassing EARLY00′sCORE. These guys were pretty far ahead of the curve, I like to think these awkward, chubby kids are responsible for the popularity of the “derelict building” music video trope. Also lol @ kicking the other guitarist at 4:54.
In 2003 they kicked their old vocalist out (he’s now in Alabamabanjocore band Mayelene and the Sons of Disaster) and got a new vocalist, Spencer Chamberlain. In 2004 they put out their catchiest album to date; THEY’RE ONLY CHASING SAFETY. This album sold over 500,000 copies (srs) and earned them a Gold Record :O solidifying them as by far the most commercially successful “evil screamy band” of their time.
It’s hilarious looking back at the music videos from this era, MID00′sCORE is honestly super weird and lulzy and kinda makes me think “what the shit were they actually going for with this video??” Regardless, 16 year old Jonnyfilth couldn’t get enough of it, I still jam this album occasionally becuase it’s so damn catchy.
In 2006 I went through several pairs of skinny jeans (via shitting myself in excitement) waiting for Underoath to release DEFINE THE GREAT LINE, which I still regard as one of my favourite albums ever (srs). This record debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, and also went gold, further solidifying the band as pretty much the mainest of mainstream bands and the undisputed leaders of the MID00′sCORE scene. This was a huge step up from anything they’d done before and had them headlining huge sold out tours. Mirin.
They obviously hooked up with “better” (read: fruitier) video producers to create ever weirder music vids. I don’t know what the effing fuck this one is about at all so I’m not going to bother trying.
This album marked the birth of Underoath’s love affair with wierd skronky riffs. IMO they are srsly underrated in the skronk department, some of their riffs are srsly next level. I’m p sure if they didn’t have clean choruses the IHN fags would jizz over them (srs). Also this song has Underoath’s only breakdown @ 1:40ish, 2006 was moshing!
This album also had a couple of amazing srscore songs; epic melodic songs with short lyrical verses and millions of feels about lief’s struggles and other emo stuff that “rly meant a lot 2 me” at the time, for some reason. Still bactard.
NEW STUFF
In 2008 they released LOST IN THE SOUND OF SEPARATION. I really hate how almost every band “grows up” and puts out their “most mature album yet” after like their 3rd or 4th record. Normally those ”mature albums” end up gayer than a group of men kissing each other’s helmets, but Underoath managed to nail it. These dudes are brilliant at writing skronky chaotic songs that are actually listenable and don’t sound like riff salad.
Actually I lied before, this is Underoath’s OTHER only breakdown, @ 1:22.
Perfect example of how they blend catchy stuff with IHN approved fagcore and turn it into a great song.
In 2010, Underoath’s drummer and only original member left the band to pursue his side project, The Almost. Zillions of little scene girls and whiny fags who don’t understand how music is made cried their eyes out, and to this day, Aaron’s departure is a contentious butthurt magnet. He was replaced by Daniel Davison (ex Norma Jean) who had big red-headed shoes to fill, and he did very very well IMO. Either way, their next (and final) studio album Ø (Disambiguation) is fucking awesome. I’m not sure if Aaron leaving changed their attitudes or whatever, but this album is way angrier and darker than any before. It straight up rules, and it’s my second favourite after DTGL.
Damn bby, what u so angry about? This song is my favourite from the album, mirin’ the Every Time I Die riff at 1:38. Way heavier and thicker than any of their older stuff, I don’t get why tr00 Aaron fans are complaining???
This is a pretty sweet music video, I really dig it. This album replaced all the clean singing with that “I’m yelling but it’s ok bcz I’m a trained vocalist” thing. That’s probably what caused most of the butthurt, now that I think of it. Sounds way harder to me.
RIP UNDEROATH
Every band eventually reaches that point where there is nothing new for them; all they can do is release progressively worse albums and descend into oldfaggotry. So many bands do it, (I’m lookin at you Metallica u fggts) and I feel like it’s the smarter bands that go out in their prime. I am genuinely happy that Underoath aren’t going to be those grose old fuckups who clutch at straws and continue to ruin their once excellent reputation. They toured the whole world over and over again, put on some insane and awesome shows, spread posi vibes while taking care not to shove their religion up your butt, and are generally one of the best bands to come from the 00′s core scene. Every time I’ve seen them live, they were mind blowingly good. Highly recommend seeing them before they die for good.
Do any of you bros give a shit?? Were you ever into Underoath? Or are you too metal to admit that you used to like them?? Are u a tr00 Aaron fan? Will u listen to Tim’s future nu-bluegrass band? Will Chris start a concert piano school? Will Spencer embark on a butthurt spoken word tour??? Catch Underoath on the post-hardcore-est tour of all time while u still can :(
I was legitimately bummed out by the announcement these guys were breaking up, the last album was such a step up and they’re a band I grew up listening to. :(
I know that feel
bald_ppl_hugging.jpg
I never went through a scene phase (unless being 12 and thinking Slipknot is the epitome of music for like two weeks is scene) and thus never really got into these guys, but the songs you posted are decent and I’m looking forward to them being referred to as “seminal” and “pioneering”.
u were the Kiki Kannibal of ur school \m/
And yeah those words will 100% def be used about them at some point.
see also “groundbreaking” and “eclectic”
*douche chills*
Always respected this band for their talent and songwriting, which coming from an 18 YO militant atheist takes his All Out War way too seriously fggt point of view (18 is the last time I paid attention to them until this post), means they must be excessively badass.
I actually re downloaded Theyre Only Chasing Safety, hadn’t heard it in years. It’s ridiculously catchy just like the post says.
Sad 4 u in this time of grieving 4 ur lost band
Also, strong LOL’s in this post.
Back when I was a dumb little teenager who wanted to rebel against society in a way that was still acceptable to my youth pastor
IMO they are srsly underrated in the skronk wtf is skronk? lol
it makes me a little bit sad to know that one of the defining bands of my teenage years are now probably going to move on and form awful old man solo projects or southern-fried country acapella groups or something groce like that
Skronk riffs= atonal hardcore riffs like Dillinger escape plan/botch/deadguy/converge
Yeah that’s pretty much it, just weird spazzy hardcore with those dissonant riffs or whatever they’re called. Heaps of bands are all about skronk these days.
Stray From The Path, Every Time I Die, Norma Jean, The Chariot can be added to the list ^
Ah, thanks for clarification. The word in there was funny to me, not knowing what it was. lol
I love the skronk
Thx bro. I’m mad that this didn’t turn into a discussion about helmet kissing :(
Yeah, that was another hilarious one. LOL
i’m really glad i got to see them twice on the disambiguation tour. spencer’s cleans were way tight and i honestly liked them better without aaron. the lineup was sweet both times too. first time was with thursday playing all of full collapse, animals as leaders, and a skylit drive (lol). second time was with the chariot, comeback kid, and this is hell.
I went to that show with Thursday and AAL (via mostly wanting to hear those Thursday songs and relive the days between HS and college), but was glad I stayed for UO. They were super tight and sounded great.
I was in a band based out of Orlando while they were from Tampa and we both recorded our albums with the same dude, so underoath always was just “that band of cool dudes doing something similar to what were doing”. I guess I never realized how huge they got and it’s cool to see that so many people like some dudes from FL that ran in some of the same circles as us. Fuck yeah, and best of luck.
i was at the vegas stop for the same tour with thursday and aal, and really went for full collapse only. aal killed it. thursday killed it. stayed for uo until they played reinventing… and its dangerous… then left. i dont regret that decision.
Saw them last year, it was a fun show but the best part was honestly the keyboardist because for the entire show he was going absolutely nuts and headbanging like crazy. My friend and I have this joke that the only reason he was in the band was because he was the little brother of one of the other dudes in the band and their mom made them let him join.
“Skyler! Let Austin play keyboards in your little band, don’t be mean.”
“BUT MOMMMMM…”
“He’s fat and he doesn’t even own any skinny jeans! This SUCKS I hate you mom!”
i haven’t listened to anything past define the great line, which is such an amazing album, and your post prompted me to listen to the next two, so thank you for reminding me of how good this band is! <3 they srs used to be my favorite band of all time for a while.
tbh i forgot they existed after the album with the nurse looking person on it.
Great article, always loved They’re Only Chasing Safety and Define the Great Line.
Also, you fuckers better sell out the Chicago date of this farewell tour soon; I bought 4 tickets and plan on selling them all for like $100 each (maybe I’ll keep one for myself; we’ll see)
Didn’t care too much til they trolled Wikipedia with that last album title. Guess they’re okay now.
touché
The awkward moment when the first sentence accurately describes your lyfe :(
This post helped ease my butt pain about their breakup, you nailed everything good about them and I’m glad you can see that Aaron’s departure was not the suicidal world ending decision it was made out to be.
*Rests head on Jonnyfilth’s shoulder* Thank you
No care about them breaking up, but disambiguation was a p heavy album and I liked it quite a bit. They’re Only Chasing Saftey will always be a classic as well. RIP.
You guys notice the Post-metal (lol genre drop) influence on ‘Define the great line’ during the slower songs? What’s with Hardcore’s flirtatious obsession with Post-metal bands like Isis?
August Burns Red threw down some similar tracks (Meridian, Carpe Diem) and TDWP went all postal with Kansas on their most recent CD. Considering that genre’s never had a huge following, I’m surprised to see it in more mainstream hardcore music.
Yeah dude very true.
I put it down to the fact that most of the dudes in these kind of bands are older-ish, ie. moar like Sergeant D’s generation, and eventually get burned out on hardcore. I think that going on tour playing the same songs/genre for years and years would make you think of hardcore like “a job”, so in your downtime you’d choose to listen to non hardcore music. Most of these band dudes have developed broader taste in music and I guess it starts to show in their “moar mature” albums when they start experimenting with other shit they’ve gotten into. Takes a really really good band to turn that experimentation into actual good music though.
I never really got into this band, but living in the bible belt I’ve seen them like 4 times since 2006, and once in a church haha.
I’m just curious, but why would you consider these guys a mid 00′s core band?
I remember most of the bands of that time around my area sounded like Hoods or First blood or whatever, before death core became the defining thing. With these guys earlier sound, they just sorta sound like Grade or any of those other 90′s scremo bands. I mean, it’s good, but I always sorta thought it was kindof an old thing when it was around.
Great post though! I understand why my friends are freaking out now.
Thanks dude!
And yeah Underoath is definitely mid00′score
http://www.stuffyouwillhate.com/2011/12/lets-talk-about-early00score-and-mid00score/
Sarge incuded them in his list of “bands I couldn’t get into via gayness” which pretty much sums up the entire scene from the early to mid 2000′s. Underoath were at the forefront of that, they blended all the gay trends together and became the leaders of that scene. It really was a weird and shitty time period for the scene :(
So when will TDWP calls it quit?
Luv all albums. Tcot is my fav ø is the best
Good article, brah. Underoath always existed at the periphery of my musical vision and I liked a few songs now and then, but I never really listened to them because I didn’t wanna “associate myself” with their fans (while still loving Fall Out Boy and Funeral for a Friend, lol. I actually listened to a lot of their musical peers but never really hung out with anyone else who were into it, but that’s a story for another time). Guess now is as good time as ever to check out their discography and find out what I missed.
I’m so glad you wrote this. Fuck man, many memories being an awkward teen fanboy. Saw them when they toured for all four albums after They’re Only Chasing Safety, and 3 or 4 times at Warped tour. truenerdfax: I still have one of their song titles set as my about me line on Facebook. KEEP THE SCENE ALIVE
Hits close to home. Underoath and Killswitch were the beginning of my “Im listening to edgy, screamy-in-your-face type shit and despite that being nearly 8-10 years ago, I believe Underoath still stands the test of time in my opinion, head and shoulders above the rest. Chasing Safety and Define the Great line were very next level IMHO. Goddamn I miss those days :\
A+ post Jonny, thanks for the warm memories of my late teens, before I became the massive adultfag I am now. 2004-2006 Never Forget.
There’s a breakdown in ‘I don’t feel very receptive today’ and one could argue that there is a breakdown in ‘Writings on the walls.’ Srs, just imagine that the “I hope to god you calm down” vocally bit are gang vocals turning into a mosh call and then vision masses of religious scene kids swinging their rosary beads.
Lolololol
was bored. just read in an interview that at one point in time a few years ago, they announced they were no longer a christian band because some of their members no longer felt the same way about their beliefs, and because they no longer wanted to alienate anyone. i giggled. At least they didnt pull a Haste The Day and kick out the non-believer. smh.
Never cared much for them but the last album was pretty good. And they were rather good live, I must admit.