Underoath — Erase Me (04/06/18)
The members of Underoath are “the healthiest we’ve ever been as a group of people, as musicians, and in our worldview,” said drummer and co-vocalist Aaron Gillespie in an interview with Loudwire. On their first album in nearly eight years, the Florida-based band shows a mature and polished rock sound that reflects the point they’re at in their lives. Both Gillespie and co-vocalist Spencer Chamberlain turned 35 this year and to think that they were 25 the last time they made an album together really nails down how long it’s been.
It’s no surprise that Erase Me doesn’t hold the same energy as their music ten plus years ago. Songs like “A Boy Brushed Red…”, “Writing On The Walls”, and “Desperate Times, Desperate Measures” will never be matched by this band again, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still make some solid hard rockers. And yes, it’s hard rock all the way on this one, with not much attention given to screams and breakdowns. 2010’s Disambiguation saw Chamberlain taking on a cleaner vocal style as he took on all vocal duties without Gillespie, and he continues to show off his singing chops on Erase Me. Gillespie takes on his former role as co-vocalist, but his parts don’t have quite the same pizzazz as they used to, now that there’s not as much screaming to contrast it with.
As for the songs though, there’s very little to be disappointed with; singles “Rapture” and “On My Teeth” are brilliant tracks, “Rapture” with the strongest hook of the album, and “On My Teeth” absolutely tearing it apart with a pulverising verse that brings you close to the sound of their old days. The use of keys and synths by Christopher Dudley, the longest standing member of the group next to Gillespie, adds a lot of thickness to the tracks, notably “Sink With You” and “No Frame” (the last 30 seconds holds possibly the best moment of the album). “In Motion” sneaks in near the end to provide a massive chorus before a slow-building closer in “I Gave Up” that ends the album strong but on a bit of a dark note.
It’s been nearly four months since this album released and despite being aware of its existence, I managed to let it get buried in the masses and forgotten. For that I am sorry Underoath. It feels good to finally hear these guys again, ten years removed from their days of being one of the biggest names in the scene. They’ve got more years under their belts and the album reflects it. Their music will never be the same as before, but the guys have not lost the ability to create bold anthems and they’ve proven with Erase Me that they’ve still got some bite in them. 7.5/10
