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Underoath

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Underoath

Underoath is a Christian Post-Hardcore/Screamo band, based in Tampa, Florida.

Underoath has enjoyed commercial success in recent years behind the sales of their last two albums (2004's They're Only Chasing Safety and 2006's Define the Great Line) and touring on the Vans Warped Tour.

In 2007 they will begin a North American tour along side Taking Back Sunday and Armor For Sleep.[1]

History

Early Years

Underoath formed in 1998 as a three-piece featuring vocalist Dallas Taylor, Guitarist Luke Morton, and drummer Scott Nunn. Soon after, Octavio Fernandez was added as a bassist and Corey Steger signed on to split the guitar duties with Luke. A young redhead by the name of Aaron Gillespie also replaced Scott Nunn on drums. The talent of the young band caught the eye of Alabama's Takehold Records, and they quickly inked a deal. It was then that Luke Morton decided to leave the band, making Underoath a quartet. In 1999, the band recorded their debut album Act Of Depression. The album featured six songs (as well as a bonus praise track) and a brutal double bass kick throughout. They toured in support of the release and began to develop a strong and loyal fan base.

Shortly into the year 2000, minor changes in the lineup were made. A full-time keyboardist was added in Chris Dudley and Octavio Fernandez made the move to backup guitar to make way for Matthew Clark on bass. The six-piece began recording for an upcoming album. The epic Cries Of The Past would follow. The album was produced by James Paul Wisner (Dashboard Confessional, New Found Glory), who remains close to the band today. Despite having only five songs, it clocks in at over forty minutes. The sophomore featured blazing guitar work, top notch drumming and vocals, as well as far more of a death metal influence than Act Of Depression leading them to their peak in underground popularity.

Although Underoath received rave reviews on their latest offering, lineup changes were made shortly afterward. Lead guitarist Corey Steger stepped down and was replaced by Timothy McTague; bassist Matthew Clark was also replaced by Billy Nottke. More changes would follow for Underoath in 2001. Takehold Records was bought out by Solid State / Tooth & Nail Records, leading Underoath (as well as fellow bands Twothirtyeight and Few Left Standing) to sign with the label. Underoath continued furious touring, which led to their Solid State Records debut The Changing Of Times. Released on February 26, 2002 the album produced one single, "When the Sun Sleeps". The loss and addition of different members led the album to adopt a different sound with shorter songs and more melodic/chorus-oriented song structures. Though the change in style caused some long-time fans of the band to criticize the album, The Changing of Times went on to easily outsell both of their previous albums combined. After months of successful touring, the strings that held Underoath together began to unravel. Bassist Billy Nottke was kicked out soon after the record and Guitarist Octavio Fernandez left because of all the arguing and fighting within the band; this led to the emotional and controversial departure of front man Dallas Taylor during the Vans Warped Tour in 2003. Underoath decided to drop off of the remaining dates of the tour. The future of the band was in considerable doubt, but in October of 2003, at the CMJ Fest in New York City, Underoath debuted their current vocalist Spencer Chamberlain, formerly of the hardcore band This Runs Through.

They're Only Chasing Safety

During the early months of 2004, the band hit the studio again with Wisner to record their first album with Chamberlain and their second record for Solid State. They're Only Chasing Safety proved to be a breakout success for the band, going on to sell about 350,000 copies, 500,000 to date. On this record, Underoath moved even further away from their metal roots; drummer Gillespie arguably made as much of an impact with his singing on the record as Chamberlain did with his screaming. "Reinventing Your Exit",and "It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door" were chosen as singles for the album; both songs spawned music videos that received airplay on MTV2 and Fuse.

Following the release of the album, the band played a number of Warped Tour dates. In the Spring of 2005 the band was asked to participate on the inaugural Taste of Chaos tour. Shortly after the tour, the band embarked on its first headlining tour. The band premiered two brand-new songs during the length of the tour.

In October 2005, They're Only Chasing Safety was re-released in a two-disc set with four unreleased songs, new artwork, and a DVD with over two hours worth of footage of the band touring in support of the album.

Define the Great Line

Underoath entered the studio in January 2006 to record their fifth album. Matt Goldman, a founding member of Blue Man Group, and Adam Dutkiewicz, guitarist for Killswitch Engage, worked with the band in producing the album, which would come to be titled Define the Great Line. The album combined the intricate melodies of They're Only Chasing Safety with a partial return to the band's metalcore roots.

An unmastered version of the album was leaked onto BitTorrent websites and P2P services months before the release date. Members of the band released a statement saying that the leaked version was an unfinished, unmastered, raw copy of the album and the finished product would sound much different.

The band flew to Sweden in the spring of 2006 to make videos for the new songs "In Regards to Myself" and "Writing on the Walls"; the latter was chosen as the lead single for the album. When Define the Great Line released on June 20, 2006, it sold 98,000 copies in its first week and debuted on the Billboard 200 Chart at #2 [2], the highest debut for a Christian album since 1997 [3]. In its first four weeks on the chart, it stayed in the top 50. It debuted at #1 on the Christian, Christian/Gospel, and Rock charts.

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.

Departure from Warped Tour and alleged NOFX controversy

Underoath 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 claimed 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."[4]. Rumors that the band had actually left because NOFX frontman Michael "Fat Mike" Burkett was making fun of Underoath and their religious beliefs onstage were debunked when Burkett told PunkNews.org in a statement of his own that Underoath's claim of needing a break was indeed true.[5] Burkett did admit to poking fun at the band and criticizing their stance on gay marriage, but emphasised that he befriended Underoath's band members at the start of the tour, had very civilized conversations with various members right up to the band's departure, that he had a personal policy of not making jokes onstage about anyone he wasn't friends with or didn't like personally, and that there were never any hard feelings between himself and Underoath's band members.[5] Burkett also revealed on the August 2006 Fat Wreck Chords Podcast that internal troubles amongst the members of Underoath started after Spencer Chamberlin had indulged in a couple of cans of Bud Light with Burkett backstage a few nights prior to Underoath's sudden departure.[6]

In an Alternative Press cover story on Underoath, Burkett told the magazine that Spencer Chamberlin had confided in him that Underoath's band members had been "having a lot of arguments over their religious beliefs."[7]. In a sidebar of the same article, Burkett stated that he was "not calling Underoath homophobic, but they're against homosexual people having the same rights that straight people do. I find that to be bigoted."[8] Tim McTague admitted that "90 percent of what [Fat Mike] believes in and thinks is wrong about our country and our government, I agree with... [my] opinion doesn't align with the conservative church or the extreme leftist liberal side, either."[8]

Multiple rumors have flown around by word of mouth and through the internet of Underoath breaking up, members leaving, and rehab stories. Underoath released a statement confirming none of this was true and they were preparing to do a Canadian tour followed by the 'Taste of Chaos World Tour'.

"The National Day of underOATH"

File:NDoU.jpg
NDoU official logo

A fan based, self-proclaimed, "grass-roots movement", dating back to June 6, 2006 (coincidentally making up the numbers 06/06/2006 or 666), was started in hopes that next year, an entire day will be devoted solely to celebrating the musical career of Underoath. July 7, 2007 (07/07/2007 or 777) to be exact. Surprisingly, the movement has had a lot of support, being featured on underoathfan.com and even discussed on the official Underoath web site in the comment section of the news.

Members


WORK SUCKS By Coach Cook

Former members

Discography

Album Cover Title Release Date Label
File:Underoath-Act of Depression.jpg Act of Depression July 4, 1999 Takehold Records
Cries of the Past July 4, 2000 Takehold Records
The Changing of Times February 26, 2002 Solid State Records
They're Only Chasing Safety June 15, 2004 Solid State Records
File:Chasing Safety-special edition.jpg They're Only Chasing Safety (Special Edition) October 4, 2005 Solid State Records
Define the Great Line June 20, 2006 Solid State Records

Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock
2002 "When the Sun Sleeps" The Changing of Times
2004 "Reinventing Your Exit" They're Only Chasing Safety
2005 "It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door" They're Only Chasing Safety
2006 "Writing On the Walls" #39 Define the Great Line
2006 "In Regards to Myself" Define the Great Line
2007 "You're Ever So Inviting" Define the Great Line

References and footnotes

  1. ^ "We're Coming For You". Takingbacksunday.com. Retrieved November 23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Billboard Artist Chart Billboard Chart History
  3. ^ Furtado Scores First Chart-Topping Album Billboard, June 26, 2006
  4. ^ Underoath drops off Warped Tour, PunkNews.org, July 29, 2006
  5. ^ a b Fat Mike addresses Underoath rumors, PunkNews.org, July 31, 2006.
  6. ^ "Bi-Costal Broadcast", Fat Wreck Chords Podcast, August 4, 2006
  7. ^ Staddon, Tristan. "Sometimes You Walk The Line, Sometimes The Line Walks You", Alternative Press, Issue #219, October 2006, pp.180-186.
  8. ^ a b Staddon, Tristan. "Cross Fire", Alternative Press, Issue #219, October 2006, p.186.
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