Solid State Records’ highest earning band is back with a new record. Well, Underoath says it’s new. But upon listening, I’m not so sure.
Ø (Disambiguation) is the first record the band has made without any help from their last original member, drummer Aaron Gillespie.
Gillespie recently announced a friendly departure from the band, leaving some fans miffed and wondering who will sing the clean parts the band has become so well-known for.
The band may be going through healthy changes, and their new line-up hasn’t really changed their sound much. Sadly, that’s not really a good thing.
Ø (Disambiguation) sounds far too much like the band’s last two efforts.
In fact, I’d venture to say these guys haven’t really done anything new since the 2004 release of They’re Only Chasing Safety. It’s a rut far too many metal bands fall into, and apparently Underoath is no exception.
If you’re an Underoath fan, you’ll still dig the vocal styling of Spencer Chamberlain as he works double duty on both clean and scream—filling the space Gillespie left. One thing that’s always been unique about Chamberlain’s voice is its clarity during full scream.
Every word can be heard in the mix, unlike so many other metal singers who often sound like they’re just screaming and grunting like pigs in a pen.
Ø (Disambiguation) isn’t the worst thing Underoath could have recorded this year But it’s definitely not going to send chills up your spine either. Maybe the metal scene has just plain run out of ideas.
–by Tyler Ostermayer

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