Music Banter - underOATH: "Define The Great Line"

underOATH
"Define The Great Line"
Tooth and Nail Records/Solid State
6/20/2006

01. In Regards To Myself
02. A Moment Suspended In Time
03. There Could Be Nothing After This
04. You're Ever So Inviting
05. Salmamir
06. Returning Empty Handed
07. Casting Such A Thin Shadow
08. Moving For The Sake Of Motion
09. Writing On The Walls
10. Everyone Looks So Good From Here
11. To Whom It May Concern

I own underOATH's third and fourth records and I must say that both don't impress me at all. Each has a couple of fun moments, but in the end they both are severely lacking. It's time for another underOATH album and I hear one song titled "Moving For The Sake of Motion". I'm actually into the song, but there's no way I would think of buying "Define the Great Line". Well, before I knew it "Moving For The Sake of Motion" had crept onto my top ten songs on my iPod in just a matter of days and I realized I had to get the album. The band did not disappoint me for once. They successfully mix elements of metalcore, post-hardcore, and "screamo" into one.

"There Could Be Nothing After This" has great drumming and clean singing showing that drummer Aaron has increased in talent tenfold. That could very well hold true for the rest of the band as well. Spencer’s vocals before were incredibly weak and his screaming only tactics failed miserably because pre-“Define The Great Line” Aaron was usually the one to sing, which he hadn’t fully matured yet as a vocalist. Both of them have now. Aaron’s voice is a lot smoother and not as annoying. Spencer isn’t afraid to take the clean course and his screaming is a lot beefier in places, especially on the album opener, “In Regards To Myself”, which is undoubtedly a fist-pumper. The guitar riff is more entertaining than anything off “They’re Only Chasing Safety”. Spencer’s beefy scream is so much better than what the band had to offer these last few years; it’s almost intimidating. The trade off of singing and screaming in the later half of the track is easily one of the most memorable moments on the disc.

underOATH used a lot of programming on “The Changing Of Times” and they haven’t abandoned it yet. It may not be so noticeable, but the signs are still there, for instance in the beginning and middle of the incredibly melodic “Writing On The Walls”. The same goes for “To Whom It May Concern” and “There Could Be Nothing After This”. Most songs present on the record are incredibly heavy, but usually have the touch of clean singing, or melodic guitar lines. “Everyone Looks So Good From Here” kills that notion. The track is heavily dominated by screaming, but because of Spencer’s improvements it’s a really good song. The semi-breakdown is a nice brake from the usual straightforwardness of a lot of songs even though it’s fairly simple too.

While “They’re Only Chasing Safety” may have been dominated by cons there is hardly anything wrong with “Define The Great Line”. The fact that there aren’t any weak spots is something unanticipated. The album is somewhat varied as well. “Salmarnir” is a little interlude that has religious chants at the forefront and the sound of someone giving a speech to a cheering crowd. During the three-minute interlude there is a soft beat that is really relaxing, but then “Returning Empty Handed” caustically swoops in and kills any feeling of relaxation. Then there is “To Whom It May Concern” which closes the album out eloquently by having the first half soft, but the last half going out with a bang before taking the time to quietly go back down in level and then fade away. "Define the Great Line" is such a surprise that it may in fact be worthy of being called the best "surprise of 2006".

Pros:
+Spencer and Aaron can now be called good vocalists
+Songs vary and there is no ensuing boredom
+Amazing how the band went from the drivel “They’re Only Chasing Safety” to this

Cons:
-Bass could have been better…I don’t for know once if this actually has any cons…even though it is underOATH

Standout Track:
-“In Regards To Myself”
-“To Whom It May Concern”
-“A Moment Suspended In Time”
-“Writing On The Walls”
-“Moving For The Sake of Motion”

4/5