It’s hard to put into words the force that drives Underøath. The melodic post-hardcore band’s first album in eight years, Erase Me, is very different, but also similar to their older work. The album has been considered the apex where melody, power, spatial resonance and arcane electronic textures converge to reveal a band that’s positively fearless; and although the band might have followed in the footsteps of some other bands “going soft” – by bringing in a more mainstream sound compared to their older work – Erase Me shows how much Underøath has evolved throughout the years and how they’ve exploded out of the studio to release one of their best albums ever.
Synth and audio effects are prominent in songs such as Bloodlust, No Frame and Rapture, giving the songs a darker sound, almost reminding their fans that they themselves have become a lot different, as they no longer identify as a Christian band. The band who once openly professed their faith-based worldview onstage nightly, have since moved beyond the realm of seemingly impenetrable polemics. Spencer Chamberlain took to Twitter regarding the drama regarding the use of the word “fuck” in their new single ‘Rapture’, saying “So here’s the thing… Underøath is the healthiest and happiest we have ever been in our entire career, we may have different viewpoints or beliefs that you may or may NOT have but that certainly does NOT mean we are lost or in a worse spot than before. We’ve all grown…a lot”. The album in itself reflects on the band’s history and legacy that they’ve left in metalcore, and provides a new, dominant force in heavy rock and post-hardcore.
So here’s the thing… Underoath is the healthiest and happiest we have ever been in our entire career, we may have different viewpoints or beliefs that you may or may NOT have but that certainly does NOT mean we are lost or in a worse spot than before.
We’ve all grown…a lot— Spencer Chamberlain (@wschamberlain) February 25, 2018
Erase Me illustrates the moments of safety, betrayal and conflict that arise when people grapple with their own beliefs, revealing to their fans what they’ve become in the last near decade, with lyrics hitting hard in songs such as ihateit and I Gave Up, two of the bands more calm songs on the album, Erase Me shows elements of evolution, adaptation to the mainstream and the same Underøath sound that you hear in older records. It is an album that should be listened to from start to finish, and it sums up the careers of the original Underøath members perfectly. The band’s sixth album, Erase Me is backed by Fearless Records (and Caroline Australia), and is the product of time in the studio with Matt Squire and Ken Andrews in 2017. It’s great to have Underøath back, especially on their terms.
Review – Robbie Tannous