It’s no secret of the band UNDEROATH and what they have been through, from tragedies to noteriety but here we will take a look at the journey they’ve taken head on to become one of the biggest screamo bands and icons that have stood the test of time. So come take this journey with me through them and their music.
Imagine this: You’re 17 years old and you and your buddy wants to form a band. Well that’s how it was for original vocalist of UNDEROATH, Dallas Taylor and guitarist Luke Morton when the wheels started turning in the beginning UNDEROATH saga in Ocala.
Dallas Taylor explains, “I was 17 years old, I was with Luke Morton when he has a falling out with the band he was in, so we sat in his bedroom and was playing guitar and I just started writing lyrics, I knew I was gonna do vocals, and I just picked up the vocals” he says, “I picked up the mic and started doing them… just horrible“
Little did he know this would be the beginning of the UNDEROATH saga. While many members have cycled through the UO door, the band will still remain a staple in the Screamo/Emo for decades to come.
Lets fast forward to their first album, “Act Of Depression” which they were still young (Aaron Gilliespie was only 14 at the time) when they signed to Take Hold after playing their last show on their first small tour, and meeting Chad Johnson of Take Hold Records and joined by Octavio Fernandez, with merch in tow.
I was able to reach out to original UNDEROATH member Octavio Fernandez, bassist and guitarist, here’s what he had to say about the early years:
Octavio Fernandez Bassist/Guitarist and founding member of UNDEROATH
The album, “Act Of Depression” was recorded less than a year and a half after forming, fairly quick for a young band in that time. This album was more on the metal side of things, heavy influences, and paved the way for many other Christian metal bands to come. They went through many other member changes and even having up to a 6 piece band, even with a operatic singer for a short time. UNDEROATH became one of the most notable “Christian Metal” bands if not the first notable one of their kind. The album was recorded in March 1999 with only 2,000 copies made leaving more to be desired after taking hold by storm in the masses.
Between the release of “Act of Depression” in 1999 and “Cries of the Past” in 2000, a few more line-up changes occurred in the UNDEROATH camp. This album being the last to feature Corey Steger. “Cries Of The Past” also had a very limited amount of album prints at about 3,000 available. This album solidified UNDEROATH as a 6-peice band with Octavio moving to guitar and Aaron not offering any vocals on any track, which was a bit strange, but to say the least even coming in with only five tracks with one clocking at 11minutes and 24 seconds, it definitely delivered.
UNDEROATH‘s next album, “The Changing Of Times” was appropriately, if not ironically named whether the band knew it or not. There would be huge changes in the near future that were already set in motion. This would be the last time Corey Steger, Octavio Fernandez and Dallas Taylor would be in the lineup, and Spencer Chamberlain would step up to the UNDEROATH mantle. This is also the album that began the post-hardcore feel with, “When The Sun Sleeps” solidifying their sound for albums to come.http://web.archive.org/web/20220203212725if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/_aZus_-1MFI?feature=oembed
In one incident on December 12th, 2015 mentioned on the former member of UNDEROATH Dallas Taylor’s Facebook he alleged that him and another bandmate of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster were victims to police brutality while filming drunken patrons outside a restaurant, while him and Jake Duncan we’re trying to de-escalate the situation police showed up and allegedly threw Duncan and Dallas Taylor to the ground, resulting in a gash on his knee and Duncan being slammed into the concrete. They were held for hours after not even being a part of the drunken behavior, they decided to lawyer up and sue the police department. The story was inconclusive on the outcome or retribution.
Tragedy would also strike it’s head again when on August 2, 2016 Dallas Taylor suffered major injuries in an ATV accident that left him blind in one eye, he also suffered a severe brain injury and trauma to the carotid artery. As of 2018, Taylor is still recovering from the accident, having had surgeries to recover his adrenal gland and the sight in his left eye.
Then, on March, 17th, 2021, Corey Steger passed away at 42, due to a car accident. Dallas Taylor wrote an emotional response on his Instagram:View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Dallas Taylor (@dallasttaylor)
Steger joined UNDEROATH in 1998, just a year after the band’s formation. He recorded on their first two albums, 1999’s Act Of Depression and 2000’s Cries Of The Past.
After his departure from UNDEROATH in 2001, Steger joined Californian thrash metal band Hand Of Fire in 2010. He left the band in 2015 before they signed to Rottweiler Records in 2015.
“They’re Only Chasing Safety” was an album of a decade. Spencer Chamberlain would be marked down as a excellent successor to Dallas Taylor, vocals and scream alike.
While a huge game changer in the band’s history, it would later be argued in being the best but in refined circles be argued that it’s actually the first album to give the band an absolute page in noteriety. Let’s take a look at that claim:
1.”Re-Inventing Your Exit” and “It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door” had videos on constant rotation on MTV2, and FUSE
2. UNDEROATH were forerunners in the first Taste Of Chaos Tour
3. Headlined The Vans Warped Tour
4. “They’re Only Chasing Safety” was certified Gold in 2011http://web.archive.org/web/20220203212725if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/TOdfV1EjUgg?feature=oembed
The thing about this album is that no matter how you classify it, the fact remains it’s a mixture and contrast of honey and vinegar, anger and melody, with subliminal mix of heaven and hell, and it helped define the band’s direction for their coming ascension into fame.
This album here, “Define The Great Line” it does just that. It showcased and defined a new era and direction and sound of UNDEROATH, even while practically influencing the “screamo” movement at the time. Aaron Gillespie’s melodic clean vocals contrasted perfectly with Spencer Chamberlain’s fierce and gnarly vocal delivery. It was definitely a unique partnership and became one reason that would bring the band even further into the mainstream then before, contributing to their unbelievable future success as a band.http://web.archive.org/web/20220203212725if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/RaFZXbnLjoA?feature=oembed
The band even went on to receive a Grammy nomination for “Best Short Form Music Video” for “Writing On The Walls” which was an amazing portrayal of analogy for a prayer of apology, confessions, and seeking. It is a outstanding beautiful piece of work to date.
According to the band, the flow of the album came naturally, the writing also just kind of flowed. UNDEROATH found a way to channel their past into the resent while putting a spin on it with their current and solid lineup.
The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling over 98,000 copies during its first week. In 2006, the album was certified gold by the RIAA. The band even went on to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Short Form Music Video for “Writing On The Walls”.
“Lost In The Sound of Separation” is heavier, darker, and more chaotic than its predecessors. If you thought this was it for UNDEROATH, you would be wrong.http://web.archive.org/web/20220203212725if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/sVPooKsLxII?feature=oembed
The album features a return to a type of darkness that once radiated from UNDEROATH’s earlier works, but in an even more beautiful than before. It helps that the band had more of a budget and producers working with them. There is so much tension, intensity, and chaotic energy that seeps from each track. It’s a work of art.
The album peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200 upon its release and sold an amazing 56,000 copies in the US alone. The album spawned two singles, “Desperate Times, Desperate Measures” and “Too Bright To See, Too Loud to Hear”.
“Disambiguation” was UNDEROATH‘s seventh and final album, (until “Erase Me”, not counting special edition albums), in which huge changes would occur. Aaron Gillespie, the only member to have been present on the recording of every UNDEROATH album since “Act of Depression“, and the last original member of the band, decided to depart from the group. While “Lost in the Sound of Separation” was chaotic and dark and artistic, “Disambiguation” is just, well, dark. It’s a clearly fantastic record, yet something feels a little off and different.http://web.archive.org/web/20220203212725if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/FbKKNlRHX2o?feature=oembed
Spencer Chamberlain was the sole vocalist, and his intensity of his words were so perfectly communicated to listeners on every track, while doing clean and screaming vocals.
Then for awhile, UNDEROATH was no more.
Fast forward after a huge reemergence for a reunion and tour where the band would play both “They’re Only Chasing Safety” and “Define The Great Line” in full.
We come to, “Erase Me” which is after an 8 year absence to enter with what is their most edgy and fiercest album to date, the nostalgic ones of the band probably had to have to take a seat while listening, they definitely weren’t ready for this one. The album also shows Aaron Gillespie emerge again as drummer and back up vocals to the fans delight.http://web.archive.org/web/20220203212725if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/kq1a_oMPswM?feature=oembed
While it could be argued they aren’t relevant anymore but their new and revised sound would say something very different even with the removal of the ‘Christian’ aspect. “Erase Me” is less of a return to form and more of a rebirth. From the fiery opener “It Has To Start Somewhere” to the eerie and climactic closer “I Gave Up,” it’s very clear this isn’t just your nostalgic childhood UNDEROATH anymore, but they are definitely still there, edgy and lyrically sound.
“Erase Me” also helped Spencer Chamberlain into the arms of sobriety stating:
“When drugs stop being fun, they start to suck,” he said. “You have that self-loathing all the time—you just beat yourself up, or at least, I did. Which was a huge step in not wanting to have that as part of my life anymore.”
It’s clear you can hear his fight throughout the record lyrically, even with Aaron’s vocals and drumming, which fans were ecstatic to see. UNDEROATH hit this album out the park to make a well rounded album regardless of the scrutiny. It’s safe to say that a louder, heavier, more mature, rebuilt UNDEROATH can be heard.
Now enter, “Voyeurist“, in the present. It’s been quite a journey for UNDEROATH. Starting with a live stream, which they weren’t so sure about in the beginning, unsure of how it would go with no crowd energy and COVID-19 cancellations.http://web.archive.org/web/20220203212725if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/ErRsJ3u3-ew?feature=oembed
The cool thing about the “Observatory” branding is it was a huge part of promotion for the album, “Voyeurist” and was built by meshing the iconic classic album art and the new branding together cohesively.
The idea of “Underoath: Observatory” is to compensate for all the touring revenue lost this year. UNDEROATH passed the six-figure threshold in the first two days of sales.
“Voyeurist” itself is another statement, still edgy, with a voice. There is alot of dismay, despair and hopelessness and some really touchy subject matter but that being said, it’s inspired.http://web.archive.org/web/20220203212725if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/DkpSsym41A0?feature=oembed
The album hits deep with emotion and surrealism and even a bit of experimentation. If I could say in one sentence to sum “Voyeurist” up as a whole I’d say, “It’s like drowning, but catching that final breath to break the surface and tension”. If the album doesn’t hit you that hard, you’ve missed the point. As quoted by Aaron Gillespie:
“..it takes the butting of heads saying, “I hate it, I hate It, I hate it” but coming together to figure out how we make it, “I love it, I love it, I love it, that’s what makes the sound of the band, I believe, That’s the sound of Underoath. Tension”
The journey for UNDEROATH has been a long road, but it’s far from over for these music icons, they have stared many obstacles straight in the face, faced their demons and came out victorious, if the last two albums, “Erase Me” and “Voyeurist” don’t speak enough for themselves, they said just that, “Fight your demons or sit back and let them eat you alive” and that’s the guttural intensity that is UNDEROATH. It will always be that way. Past, present and future.
Afterword:
This was an emotional article to write due to the influence I know UNDEROATH had on my own inner circle of friends, losing Dustin hit hard in our hearts and we know he loved UO, so I write this for him and all of the group influenced by UNDEROATH and their way of being our own therapy in our teenage years.
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For Dustin Montgomery, Colton Knight, Colton Davis, David Leonard, Tercero Munoz, Tim Lane
