Underoath

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Underoath

Underoath (sometimes stylized as Underøath or UnderOATH) is a Christian metalcore band from Tampa, Florida formed in 1998.[3][4][5] They are currently signed to Solid State Records and are the label's best selling band.[5] Though the band has been noted for "setting precedent in both Christian rock and beyond", only a portion of their albums are sold in the Christian marketplace.[6] After several line-up changes, Underoath's only original member is drummer Aaron Gillespie.

During the band's early years, when they were fronted by former vocalist Dallas Taylor, Underoath displayed a more melodic death metal sound, with double-bass drums and breakdowns.[7] With Taylor, they released Act of Depression (1999), Cries of the Past (2000), and The Changing of Times (2002). Following his leave, Spencer Chamberlain became lead vocalist. The band then released They're Only Chasing Safety (2004) and Define the Great Line (2006), gaining a certified gold rating and the highest-charting Christian album on The Billboard 200 since 1997, respectively. The two albums gave them more mainstream and commercial success. Underoath has plans to release another album in 2008.

History

Formation and Act of Depression, 1998 - 1999

In 1998, Underoath formed with vocalist Dallas Taylor and guitarist Luke Morton in Taylor's bedroom in Ocala, Florida.[2] Morton devised the name Underoath "from somewhere in the Bible".[8] Drummer Aaron Gillespie, who attended Morton's church, was asked to play with them. Gillespie agreed, and the group recruited guitarist Corey Steger and bassist Octavio Fernandez; the band members were all in high school.[9]

After a year of playing at festivals and touring the area around Florida, Underoath signed to Alabama's Takehold Records in 1999. Morton had left the band without appearing on any of their formal recordings. They released their debut, the EP, Act of Depression, which sold over 2,000 copies.[2]

Cries of the Past and The Changing of Times, 2000 - 2003

In 2000, keyboardist Christopher Dudley joined Underoath,[7] and the five-song, forty-minutes long record, Cries of the Past was released, selling over 3,000 copies.[2] Currently, both Act of Depression and Cries of the Past are no longer in print. After the release of Cries of the Past, Steger, who along with Taylor are credited to give the band it's principle sound, left Underoath.[7] The band's sound from it's first two releases had been a borderline of grindcore, while others had described it as melodic death metal, containing double-bass drums and intense breakdowns.[7]

In 2001, Takehold Records was bought out by Seattle's Tooth & Nail Records and Underoath was subsequently signed to the label's heavier subsidiary, Solid State Records. In January 2002, bassist Grant Brandell joined Underoath.[10] The band then began working on their Solid State debut, The Changing of Times, with Cries of the Past producer James Paul Wisner. The album was released on February 26, 2002 and produced one single, "When the Sun Sleeps." Lyrics on The Changing of Times, as Taylor explained was about "people playing with other people's emotions and how it can leave you bitter" and "struggling through life's hardships and tyring to find God in all of it."[11] The band was criticized for the album's work because it had changed from the sound of their previous releases, falling into the general hardcore genre.[7] Though the change in style caused some long-time fans of the band to criticize the album, The Changing of Times went on to outsell both of their EPs combined.[citation needed]

In 2003, Underoath supported The Changing of Times on their first Vans Warped Tour, however their participation in the tour came to an end when Taylor, under controversial conditions, was asked to leave the band.[2][7] Under speculation of a potential break up, the band then went on a supporting tour with Atreyu, and in the fall, Matt Tarpey of Winter Solstice as the temporary vocalist.[12] In October 2003, at the CMJ Fest in New York City, the band reappeared with Spencer Chamberlain, formerly of the band This Runs Through, as the new lead vocalist.[13] Chamberlain had toured with Underoath when fronting his former band and at one time was roomates with Dudley; their previous friendship with Chamberlain was considered when making him lead vocalist.[9] Gillespie explained that before Chamberlain had been in the band, the group members "didn’t really get along", however, after Chamberlain joined "everything was just normal, we clicked".[9] After Chamberlain became a permanent member, Underoath discussed the possibility of changing the name and becoming a new band. Ultimately, the members decided to remain as Underoath.[9]

They're Only Chasing Safety, 2004 - 2005

After taking the end of 2003 off from touring to begin working on an album, the band scheduled time in February 2004 to begin recording.[14] During the early months of 2004, Underoath returned to the studio with Chamberlain as lead vocalist and producer James Wisner.[13] They're Only Chasing Safety was released on June 15, 2004 and proved to be a more commerical success for the band, going on to out sell the previous three albums combined.[7] Featuring only one original band member in the form of Gillespie, They're Only Chasing Safety had been a vast change from their metal roots.[7] The album sold close to 100,000 copies in its first week of release and was certified gold by the end of 2005[2] selling more than 487,000 copies.[15] "Reinventing Your Exit" and "It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door" were released as the album's singles and both songs spawned music videos that received airplay on MTV2 and Fuse. In the Spring of 2005, Underoath participated in the inaugural Taste of Chaos tour, and shortly after, embarked on their first headlining tour.[7] The band premiered two brand-new songs during the length of the tour.[7] They played a part of the Warped Tour, but declined to perform for the entirety of the tour in order to take time to record another album.[7] Underoath made their first cover of Alternative Press magazine with the September 2005 issue, and in October, They're Only Chasing Safety was re-released in a two-disc set with three formerly unreleased songs. Also included was new artwork by Jacob Bannon of the band Converge, and a DVD with over two hours worth of the band touring in support of the album.

Define the Great Line, 2006 - 2007

In January 2006, Underoath entered the studio to record their fifth album release, which would come to be titled Define the Great Line;[16] named so because "you just have to find that line and that way to live your life".[8] The band had been writing for the album two weeks after the release of They're Only Chasing Safety.[17] Matt Goldman, who produced albums for Copeland and Norma Jean, and Adam Dutkiewicz, guitarist for Killswitch Engage, enlisted as producers.[5] Chamberlain noted that the vocals for the album would sound less like an imitation of former vocalist Taylor, but more like the vocals of Chamberlain's former band.[7] The lyrics were also meaningful to Chamberlain because they had been written about "things that have molded him into who he is today".[1] An unfinished version of the album was leaked onto BitTorrent websites and P2P services months before the release date.[7] Gillespie, during the short time after the recording of Define the Great Line, recorded a side project with Seattle producer Aaron Sprinkle under the name of The Almost; The Almost subsequently was signed to Tooth & Nail and released its first record, Southern Weather a year later on April 3, 2007. In April 2006, the band had been courted by several major record labels, instead re-signing with Tooth & Nail Records because "they don't get heavy bands" and "We don't really agree with a lot of the business practices major labels employ sometimes."[17] On April 21, Underoath flew to Sweden to work with Popcore Films, and film music videos for "In Regards to Myself" and "Writing on the Walls"; the latter was chosen as the lead single for the album and was later nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.[18] Dudley commented that the videos were "high-energy videos and more intricate than any video we've ever done."[17]

Released on June 20, 2006, Define the Great Line sold 98,000 copies in its first week and debuted on the Billboard 200 Chart at #2,[19] the highest debut for a Christian album since 1997.[20] The album debuted at #1 on the Christian, Christian/Gospel, and Rock charts and, for its first four weeks on the chart stayed in the top 50. With the debut of Define the Great Line, Underoath simultaneously released a special edition version of the album featuring special artwork and a DVD that includes another behind-the-scenes movie and a "making of" video. Define the Great Line was certified Gold by the RIAA[21] on November 11, 2006, representing 500,000 shipped units of the album. It is the second album in Tooth & Nail history to reach that distinction (The first being Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo by MxPx in 2000).

The band was scheduled to spend the summer of 2006 on the main stage of the Warped Tour, but on July 28, 2006, it was announced that Underoath was dropping off the remaining dates of the tour. A statement from the band stated that the members "felt it necessary to take some immediate time to focus on our friendship, as that’s more important than risking it for the sake of touring at this time.".[22] Rumors to the contrary, however, flew that the band had actually left because NOFX frontman Michael "Fat Mike" Burkett had made fun of Underoath and their Christian beliefs on-stage. In an Alternative Press cover story on Underoath, Burkett told the magazine that Chamberlain had confided in him that Underoath's band members had been "having a lot of arguments over their religious beliefs."[23] Burkett admitted to Punknews.org that he had poked fun at the band, but emphasized that he befriended Underoath's band members at the start of the tour and had a personal policy of not making jokes on-stage about anyone he was not friends with or did not like personally.[24] It was also spread that the band's withdrawal from the tour was due to Chamberlain's rumored drug problems and time spent in rehabilitation, to which Gillespie responded, "If there was something serious going on like that and he was in rehab, we'd have to tell the press. But it's just not true."[25] Underoath toured extensively throughout Europe, Australia, and Asia in the fall of 2006, from February to April in 2007 toured with Taking Back Sunday and Armor for Sleep.

In February 2007, Underoath shot videos for the songs "You're Ever So Inviting" and "A Moment Suspended in Time" in February 2007;[26] both videos have been released and "You're Ever So Inviting" won MTV's Battle of the Videos on May 23rd. Underoath performed a Canadian tour followed by the Taste of Chaos World Tour, and also played at Cornerstone Festival 2007. On July 17, 2007 Underoath released a DVD entitled 777 to the US market. Underoath also played the Warped Tour 2007 from July 24 to August 9, and in August 2007, toured Australia and East Asia. During a tour with Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Poison the Well, and Every Time I Die, Gillespie went through emergency surgery on an infection in his hand. Instead of cancelling shows, Underoath recruited Kenny Bozich, the drummer of Gillespie's band, The Almost.[27]

Future Album, 2008 - present

On September 30, 2007 at a concert in Las Vegas, Nevada, Chamberlain confirmed that the band will have a new record out in the summer of 2008.[citation needed] Recording for the album will begin in March 2008,[28] and McTague has said that the forthcoming album will be considerably heavier than Define the Great Line.[29]

Since the Fall of 2007, Underoath has been filming a thus untitled third person documentary. "The Audible Diversion Group", a small film team, shot footage of the band as they followed Underoath on a Fall tour and the entirety of the "We Believe In Dino-Tours". The film is being shot in 720p High Definition 16:9 Widescreen format and has no set release date.[30] Underoath also has plans to release a full length concert DVD in the Spring of 2008. The band recorded the concert footage at a performance in Philadelphia in October 2007.[31]

Musical style and influences

Bassist Grant Brandall has explained that Underoath's music has been influenced by various bands such as Refused, At The Drive-In, Jimmy Eat World, Radiohead, and Isis.[4] Underoath's members are openly Christian and have stated on numerous occasions that they are a Christian band. However, as vocalist Spencer Chamberlain explains, "[Christian but in] a different way. We’re not like your average Christian band."[9] He further explains that Christianity is "backbone of our lives, especially in the way that we handle certain things, but it’s not so much the backbone of our lyrics."[9] Keyboardist Christopher Dudley had also stated that a majority of Underoath's audience is not Christian, nor are the bands they would often tour with.[1] Though the band has been noted for "setting precedent in both Christian rock and beyond", only a portion of their albums are sold in the Christian marketplace.[6] Chamberlain said, "I look at us as just another band in the secular market like with all these other hardcore bands and we just happen to be a Christian band that has different beliefs."[16]

When Underoath began in 1998, the band displayed a more Melodic death metal sound, while others described their style to be on the borderline of grindcore.[7] After releasing Underoath's debut Act of Depression (1999) and Cries of the Past (2000), founding guitarist Corey Steger left the band. Steger and other founding member Dallas Taylor were noted for giving Underoath their principle sound. When Taylor left Underoath following the release of The Changing of Times (2002), an album that somewhat foreshadowed the changes to come for the band,[32] the group's style took a considerable change as new vocalist Chamberlain joined. With Chamberlain, the writing dynamic change in the band - now Gillespie and Chamberlain wrote the lyrics they sung -[9] and Underoath released They're Only Chasing Safety (2004). The album marked "experimentation with tracks like the poppy, radio-friendly "Reinventing Your Exit," and the well-structured "It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door" which uses a children's choir during the bridge and electronic percussion."[32] Also, Underoath began "a cleaner, more direct heavy rock style".[33] Then Define the Great Line (2006) was released in which Chamberlain noted that his vocals sounded less like himself imitating Taylor's vocals, and more similar to the vocals of his previous band, This Runs Through. Alternative Press stated, "[Chamberlain's] bellow [is] more carnal and guttural, [and] his high end more tuneful than whiny."[23] Andree Farias of Christianity Today said before the release of Define the Great Line, Underoath had been "sticking close to the formulaic confines of emo-core, with loads of monotonic screaming, scattered melodies, simplistic guitar riffs, and brutal pounding". The album was "more ambitious than Underoath's previous efforts".[6]

Members

Current members

Former members

  • Dallas Taylor (1998 - 2003) - Screaming Vocals (Currently in Maylene and the Sons of Disaster)
  • Corey Steger (1998 - 2001) - Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
  • Luke Morton (1998 - 1999) - Lead Guitar
  • Octavio Fernandez (1999 - 2002) - Guitar (Currently in At the Wake)[34]
  • Matthew Clark (2000 - 2001) - Bass (Currently in Kicked Out Heel Drag)[35]
  • Billy Nottke (2000 - 2001) - Bass
  • Scott Nunn (2002 - 2003) - Rhythm Guitar (appears in "When The Sun Sleeps" video)

Discography

Release Date Title US Billboard Peak US sales Label
July 4, 1999 Act of Depression 2,000+[2] Takehold Records
July 4, 2000 Cries of the Past 3,000+[2]
February 26, 2002 The Changing of Times 120,000+[citation needed] Solid State Records
June 15, 2004 They're Only Chasing Safety #101 487,000+[15]
June 20, 2006 Define the Great Line #2 500,000+[21]

DVD Filmography

Release Date Title
October 4, 2005 They're Only Chasing Safety (Re-release) Bonus DVD
July 17, 2007 777
Spring 2008 Untitled Concert DVD
TBA Untitled Underoath Documentary

References

  1. ^ a b c Dudley, Chris (2006). "Busted: Underoath" (Interview). Interviewed by Matt Fink. Retrieved 2008-01-25. {{cite interview}}: Unknown parameter |program= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h J. Downey, Ryan. "Underoath Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  3. ^ Dudley, Chris (2006-05-04). "Underoath Interview May 4 2006" (Interview). Interviewed by Manuel Garcia. Retrieved 2008-01-12. {{cite interview}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |program= ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b Brandell, Grant (July 2006). "Underoath Interview" (Interview). Interviewed by Music Faith. Retrieved 2008-01-12. {{cite interview}}: Unknown parameter |program= ignored (help)
  5. ^ a b c "Underoath Bio". Solid State Records. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  6. ^ a b c Farias, Andree (June 2006). "Define the Great Line". Christian Today. Retrieved 2008-01-25. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Underoath Biography". thetabworld.com. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  8. ^ a b Dudley, Chris (2006-05-07). "Underoath Interview May 4th 2006" (Interview). Interviewed by Manuel Garcia. Retrieved 2008-01-28. {{cite interview}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |program= ignored (help)
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Chamberlain, Spencer; Gillespie, Aaron (2006-07-17). "Interview With Underoath" (Interview). Retrieved 2008-01-28. {{cite interview}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |program= ignored (help)
  10. ^ "Underoath welcomes new bassist". Lambgoat.com. 2002-02-18. Retrieved 2008-01-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ Taylor, Dallas; McTague, Timothy; Gillespie, Aaron (2002-05-01). "Taking The Oath" (Interview). Retrieved 2008-01-26. {{cite interview}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |program= ignored (help)
  12. ^ Sharpe-Young, Garry (2007-11-13). "Underoath". RockDetector. Retrieved 2008-01-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ a b "Underoath". artists.letssingit.com. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  14. ^ "Underoath news and notes". Lambgoat.com. 2003-11-18. Retrieved 2008-01-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ a b Wiederhorn, Jon (2006-12-26). "Underoath Rock Like Slipknot, For God's Sake". MTV. Retrieved 2008-01-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ a b Chamberlain, Spencer (2005-10-18). "underOATH Interview October 18th, 2005" (Interview). Retrieved 2008-01-28. {{cite interview}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |program= ignored (help)
  17. ^ a b c Harris, Chris (2006-03-28). "Warped Tour Band Underoath Aren't Into Crazy Hooker Parties". MTV. Retrieved 2008-01-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ "49th Annual Grammy Awards Winner List". GRAMMY.com. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  19. ^ "Artist Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  20. ^ Hasty, Katie (2006-06-28). "Furtado Scores First Chart Topping Album". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-01-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ a b "Underoath gain gold album for 'Define The Great Line'". Cross Rhythms. 2007-01-22. Retrieved 2008-01-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ Underoath drops off Warped Tour, PunkNews.org, July 29, 2006
  23. ^ a b Staddon, Tristan (October 2006), "Sometimes You Walk the Line, Sometimes the Line Walks You", Alternative Press, no. 219, pp. 180–186{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  24. ^ "Fat Mike addresses Underoath rumours". Punknews.org. 2006-07-21. Retrieved 2008-01-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ Harris, Chris (2006-12-26). "Underoath Drummer Steps Up As Frontman For Side Project The Almost". MTV. Retrieved 2008-01-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ Tate, Jason (2007-01-25). "Underoath Shooting Two Videos". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2007-07-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ "Shows". underoath777.com. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  28. ^ Kohli, Ryan (2008-01-09). "Underoath To Record In March". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2008-01-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ McTague, Timothy (2007-03-18). "Underoath Interview with Tim McTague" (Interview). Interviewed by Rachel. Retrieved 2008-01-12. {{cite interview}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |program= ignored (help)
  30. ^ McTague, Timothy (2007-10-03). "Underoath Movie". underoath777.com. Retrieved 2008-01-28. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ "Underoath full concert film shoot this Sunday!". underoath777.com. 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2008-01-28. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ a b Fernandez, Brian (2004-07-09). "Underoath". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 2008-01-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ^ "They're Only Chasing Safety". Independentbands.com. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  34. ^ "At The Wake". Myspace. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  35. ^ "Kicked Out Heel Drag". Myspace. Retrieved 2008-01-12.

External links

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