Now, before I hear any whining about the fact that they aren't really Underoath any more, because they lost the last original member, I'm going to tell you to shut up. Yes, Aaron left. Yes, that means that none of the founding members are left. BUT many of the members have been in the band since the departure of Dallas way back in the day. This is still Underoath. Period. End of discussion. Good, now that that's out of the way, on to the music.
Ø (Disambiguation) is the seventh - that's right, the SEVENTH - release, and it is once again brought to us by Tooth & Nail Records. This time around, the boys of Underoath bring a much more atmospheric, darker, and heavier album to the table. It's full of mood-setting bass and synth, layered with crushing guitars. Also, the drums have been taken up a notch by Aaron Gillespie's replacement, Daniel Davison (formerly of Norma Jean). The album opens up with a very flowing and ambient, yet brutal track entitled "In Division". Spencer Chamberlain's vocals are as perfect as ever, and, with Aaron's departure, Spence has been able to step up to fill in on clean vocal duties as well. "Catch Myself Catching Myself" has a little discordant feel to it through the verses, though it doesn't quite hit a chaotic style, before it resolves to a melodious chorus. The next track, "Paper Lung", changes pace a little bit, with clean vocals dominating the song. The guitars and bass really contribute an ambiance to give an almost ethereal mood to the song. However, by the end of the song they have transitioned back to the screams, shred-tacular guitars, and crushing drums. "Illuminator" brings us some more of that heavy sound Underoath does oh so well.
"Driftwood" changes pace once again - this synth and drum driven song really let Chamberlain shine on the clean vocals, which give an almost haunting feel to it. "A Divine Eradication" and "Who Will Guard The Guardians?" bring more of the discordant-yet-melody driven Underoath we've grown to know and love. Up next is the bass-fueled "Reversal", an ethereal, chaotic track. These Tampa boys crank up the speed with "Vacant Mouth" and "My Deteriorating Incline", pulling from their hardcore influences to really rip through the songs. Ø (Disambiguation) comes to a close with the aptly named "In Completion", which once again showcases Tim's singing ability. As the guitars build, they contribute such a dark, heavy weight to the choruses. A little over halfway through it, Spence switches back to his guttural growls before letting the album slowly fade down to the end.
I've been a long-time Underoath fan. I've listened to them from their first full length (The Changing Of The Times) straight up until now. I've seen members come and go, I've seen their style change. And after all this time, I can say with full confidence that Ø (Disambiguation) is the best and most mature Underoath release to date. They've grown as musicians and as people, and that growth shines through on this album. Ø (Disambiguation) is more than worth your time, so be sure to check it out.
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