Lost in the Sound of Separation is metalcore/post hardcore band Underoath's sixth studio album, the fourth on Solid State Records. Guitarist Timothy McTague has said that the forthcoming album will be considerably heavier than Define the Great Line. The band recently spoke to MTV News about the effort, saying it would feature 11 songs that total around 42 minutes. As of June 8, 2008, the record is completely finished, according to McTague. The upcoming release was told to be a lot more "heavier" and "darker" than the 2006 release, Define the Great Line. A few of the people from MTV were the first to get a listen to some of the upcoming songs. It was then reviewed afterward that: "Several of the songs were anthemic, feedback-filled numbers that build slowly to their thunderous, ear-splitting crescendos, and there were breakdowns aplenty".
Click here to add a video. Click to add lyrics if not listed.
01.
Breathing In A New Mentality
02.
Anyone Can Dig A Hole But It Takes A Real Man To Call It Home
ANGRY, ANGSTY, NOISY AND INTENSE (IN A GOOD WAY)| Posted September 29, 2008
There’s a lot the six mild mannered band mates of Underoath could teach Tears for Fears about primal scream therapy. For that matter, they could expose the underlying terror of tears and fears to the band Primal Scream. But, call it hardcore, grindcore, post-metal/artcore, or whatever the kids are calling the loud, fast, heavy stuff these days, and there’s not a lot anybody needs to teach Underoath.
Gut-wrenchingly intense, the Tampa sextet follows the winning ways of Define the Great Line, an album that excelled in taking the hardcore genre in a more experimental direction while topping Billboard’s album sales charts. On Lost in theSound of Separation, as before, Underoath is angry, angsty, noisy and intense. In short, everything here feels like an “Emergency Broadcast” with vocalist Spencer Chamberlain in full-throated howl about these “Desperate Times, Desperate Measures.”
Of course, nothing here is subtle, but there is a greater appreciation of nuance, dramatic tension and the soundscapes that fill the quieter moments (yes, I said quieter, and I only meant moments) and allow the tunes to grow and build. Too often the guitars function like the drums as blunt instruments, but the growing cohesive interplay of musicians reveals a creativity that could be overlooked amid all the sturm und drang.
In slight and incremental ways, Underoath has allowed a bit more traditional melody into the mix, most notably on its most accessible track (ever), “Too Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear.” But thanks primarily to the vocal additions of Aaron “The Almost” Gillespie and the spooky keyboards of Chris Dudley, moments of beauty and tunefulness have been brought to a genre where these things are rare.
But of course, none of this matters if you don’t understand what these songs are all about, which is ultimately the longing for peace, wholeness and redemption, and, as Chamberlain wails in “Breathing In a New Mentality,” for God to “show me how to love.” –Brian Quincy Newcomb
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from CCMMagazine.com. Click here to visit CCMMagazine.com today!
Lost in the Sound of Separation| Posted September 05, 2008
You know how people get all giddy and buy their one year old baby the cliched 'Baby's 1st Tool Kit!' in all it's plastic glory with a little tool belt? Well this is 'Mike's 1st Metalcore CD', a monumental occasion to be sure! It's true, I've taken the plunge into a genre I used to all but ignore. And you know what? I'm glad I did even though I sometimes came up gasping for air.
Given that rather pretentious introduction this should let you know my review will be quite a bit different from others. Most people who have bought this CD have experienced Underoath with an earlier album or, at the very least, explored this genre to some extent. Not me. I've only heard a song here or there by hardcore bands and never a full album. Maybe that's why I found this to be particularly fresh and exciting.
When I began looking to expand my taste into 'Metalcore' I noticed a lot of bands sound the same and few stood out. There's something about what Underoath did with their single 'Desperate Times, Desperate Measures' that stood out to me enough to pre-order the album with a nifty T-Shirt. The singing of Aaron and Spencer (yes, even him) had a beautiful harmony that just wouldn't leave my mind. I was all the more intrigued when I found out Aaron pulled off that impressive singing while he did that amazing drum work.
Whether you are an Underoath fan or not, be ready for some atmospheric music and experimentation. I also know that I'm not the only one getting Pink Floyd vibes when the band harmonizes in 'A Fault Line, a Fault of Mine' or 'We Are The Involuntary'. Even so, there does seem to be a common structure in a few of the songs. After your ears have been brutalized they calm everything down for some great singing. It's a brief breather before a full on assault on your ear drums commences via Spencer's guttural screams. Honestly, it could get a bit repetitive if they didn't do a great job of mixing the synth and guitars to change things up and create a new atmosphere. It should also be said that all but the last two songs are brutally heavy. Those two are phenominal in their own ways and I think I heard some strings on the closer.
On my second listen I decided to read the lyrics as I was going through each song to get a better grasp on what was going on. The result? It all made more sense. You can say it's a concept album of sorts as the lyrics center around Spencer's struggle with an addiction and how it shook the band. Make no mistake, this album is dark both musically and lyrically. I normally hate this but the honesty and passion that comes from the lyrics and Spencer's screaming makes you feel his fight. Plus, it's not all without a message of hope as the emotional closing track claims:
'And I swear I found something
I found hope, I found God
I found the dreams of the believers
the dreams of the believers'
People who have been down a similar road are going to relate to this album and those that are struggling just might be uplifted to change. You may not expect Underoath to make a worship album but they are still creating music with a good purpose. That's how they impact people's lives and if it's for the better, who are we to complain?
Gems of this album are: 'Desperate Times, Desperate Measures', 'We Are the Involuntary', 'Emergency Broadcast/The End Is Near'
Underoath's "Lost In The Sound Of Separation": A Review| Posted September 15, 2008
by C.E. Moore
I freely admit, I’m not a connoisseur of the hard rock/scream-o sound that Tooth & Nail Records is so apt to flood the market with. I also freely admit that Lost in the Sound of Separation is the first Underoath album I have ever heard, so I may not be the best judge when it comes to their sound. I do not know whether their sound has progressed or if this is more of what listeners have come to love about the hard rock outfit. So, I apologize in advance if I sound like an idiot.
That being said, I liked the album.
Generally speaking, the album has a rather dark tone to it. Not hopeless, just dark. The first track “Breathing In A New Mentality” grinds hard and is actually a desperate prayer to God saying, “There’s been something else talkin’ in my ear/Someone save me/When I speak it begins to decay/I’m not about to bury myself/Oh, God my hands are shaking again/Calm down/Now I can’t feel the floor and my vision takes it’s toll on me/I’m the desperate and you’re the savior…” The next track “Anyone Can Dig A Hole But It Takes A Real Man To Call It Home” follows the same formula. Truth be told, when it comes to the first three tracks of this album, they’re so seamless and so close thematically that you really have to be listening to know the songs have changed. They quite literally crash into each other. Though, admittedly, the third track “A Fault Line. A Fault of Mine” is a bit more melodic than the first two. The second half of the album is where things become a bit more accessible to those unfamiliar with Underoath’s sound. They lighten things up in terms of the scream-o aspect and blend a lot more melodies and harmonies one might not quite expect from a metalcore band. “The Created Void” is my favorite track on the album because it displays the band’s versatility and ability to adapt it’s own sound. The lyrics are strong, the instrumentation bold and haunting, and the vocals full-bodied. “Desperate Times, Desperate Measures” is a nice piece of dissonance and the lead guitar is perfect. The mostly instrumental piece “Desolate Earth: The End is Here” finishes out the album with a rather epic vibe. It is a proper closer to the album and will likely leave fans of their sound pondering the overarching theme(s) of the album and have them clamoring for more.
The main gripe I have with Lost in the Sound of Separation is more a gripe with the style of music in general. While the rock sound is superb, I could rarely understand anything other than the choruses, which tended to be more discernable than the corresponding stanzas. From time to time Spencer Chamberlain and Aaron Gillespie are more comprehensible in their vocal delivery, but for the most part I wish I had access to liner notes. While I appreciate the musicality of metalcore, I am sure the artists intend to convey some sort of message through their lyrics. It should not take 15-20 listens for me to understand what that message is. Also, whether Underoath has progressed or not in terms of their sound, they haven’t done anything to break new ground within the genre of metalcore.
Again, Lost in the Sound of Separation is a great effort by a band that has clearly proven itself to its fan base. While this isn’t normally the style of music I would generally listen to, I am certainly not opposed to it and I feel as if this album has convinced me just a little more of the viability of such a genre. Fans of bands like Emery, Blindside, Thrice, or Norman Jean will definitely gravitate towards this outing.
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from The Christian Manifesto. Click here to visit TheChristianManifesto.com today!
Review Of Define The Great Line| Posted September 03, 2008
I don’t know what Underoath would have to have done to make their latest release a five-star record, but I do know that they definitely didn’t find it. That’s not to say the record isn’t a good one – which it is – but it seems like it’s just another notch in a bedpost. In the past, Underoath has come strong with pushing the envelope and being ahead of the curve in their genre.
Back in the day, the metal Underoath gave way to the metalcore Underoath in They’re Only Chasing Safety, a move that catapulted them to the top of their game and gave them immense recognition. When they put out Define The Great Line, they experimented a bit with instrumental tracks to mixed results, but they continued to do well, leaning on the edge of that cliff.
And now, with Lost in the Sound of Separation, they seem to have reverted to a version of They’re Only Chasing Safety and not dangled their feet over the cliff, ready to jump. Everything you’d expect from an Underoath record is still there: catchy lyrics and chants, breakdowns, a spastic flurry of guitar riffs and drumming. They re-visit the ethereal vibe of some of the tracks on Define The Great Line, such as in the middle of the song "Too Bright To See" through to the end – it’s less the metalcore Underoath you know and more set-the-mood metal; the obligatory end-of-the-CD instrumental "Desolate Earth" also follows suit.
They still bring the heaviness as well – tracks such as the "Anyone" and "We Are The Involuntary" are particularly punishing – but at the same time, I feel like I’ve heard the songs before. While this isn’t always a bad thing, Underoath have set their bar so high, I was expecting either a complete change of direction or songs that would physically push me out of my seat. In the midst of the Underoath career, the record feels like it’s going to be forgettable. It’s like that one year in school where you felt like you did a lot, but couldn’t exactly put a finger on what was so significant about it.
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from HM Magazine. Click here to visit HMMagazine.com today!
The Great Line Redefined| Posted October 27, 2008
I was in Abilene Texas, in Lifeway, on September 2nd. I wasn't having very good luck in their music department, it was overtly obvious that I was no longer in Houston. Here we have a nice diverse range of genres in our Lifeways. But in Abilene they don't have music sections, they have Third Day sections. Nothing against Third Day, but I think that an entire two shelves devoted to them is a little much. I had almost given up when I caught Lost in the Sound of Separation out of the corner of my eye. I almost danced with joy! I immediately snatched it up and bought it.
Since my parents are by no means Underoath fans I had an agonizing wait until that night, when I had free time and my old trusty walkman that's been with me since before iPods were invented. My first impression was fairly good. I could hear the heavy Define the Great Line influence, as well as some They're Only Chasing Safety vibe. But in this melting pot of Underoath soup, there was a new sound emerging. A style unique to A Sound of Separation. At first it was not so pronounced, but it grew as the album did and turned this album into something special.
Let's take a look at the lyrics and their meanings for a moment. "We Are the Involuntary" is the only song in which the phase "Lost in the Sound of Separation". It really sums up the entire theme of the album. That man has lost his way and needs to end his separation from God. On several songs the theme expands to frustration with yourself for contently falling short, and the need in your life for God's redemption. Until I read the lyrics thoroughly I had always thought of Underoath as one of those bands that had a stereo typical Christian song here and there and for the most part sang about girls, cell phones and batman rides (sorry Reliant K fans). But every single song on the album, even if they are about life issues more then they are conventional "Awesome God" type lyrics, cannot be fully understood unless they are viewed from a Christian standpoint. I'm really impressed, I haven't seen very many other Christian bands with such honest and deep lyrics.
The album begins with the song "Breathing in a New Mentality". Which it's overtly Christian lyrics and pulsing drum part it is an all around solid song. It bears an unmistakable resemblance to the songs found on the Florida sextet's last release, "Define the Great Line". Only "Breathing in a New Mentality" has a more refined and mature flavor. I try not to toss around the words "brutal" and "ear splitting" too often. This is still music, no matter how "metalcore" it may be, not a some piece of construction equipment. Overall this was a slight downer of a first track, seeing as it doesn't offer up anything particularly new for Underoath. If you've heard "Define", you've heard this song.
With the second track things start to look a little brighter. "Anyone Can Dig a Hole, but it Takes a Real Man to Call it Home" tackles the subject of overcoming yourself and asking forgiveness from God. It's a very interesting song to hear, in a good way, and even though it still sounds like something from "Define" or "They're Only Chasing Safety" a little something new shines through as well.
"A Fault Line, A Fault of Mine" keeps the momentum going and offers up some attention getting musical dynamics.
In the next song "Emergency Broadcast :: The End is Near" Underoath finally enters uncharted territory. It's experimental sound is something that sounds very much like what Underoath fans have come to know and love, yet it doesn't sound like a song you've already heard them sing. It's not as hard or fast paces as the previous tracks, but if every track on the album was heavy and fast it would be a very boring experience. It's bleak lyrics and fuzz-injected instruments will have you headbanging in no time. As a drummer I took note of the beyond amazing drum part in "The End is Near". Underoath is known for it's talented drummer/singer, Aaron Gillespie, but this is just too good to be true. I would go as far to say he's the best thing since John Bonham. That's high praise for any drummer.
"The Only Survivor was Miraculously Unharmed" (don't you love Underoath's song titles?) continues the self-persecution, need for a savior theme and again makes musical progress. It sounds like a new Underoath song, not a leftover from "Define".
"We Are the Involuntary", as I've mentioned before is sort of the title track of the record. It speaks of fallen man's desire to find God and pleads with God to have mercy on the fallen man, who is usually described in first person throughout the album. This track has to be one of my favorites, and it continues to forge ahead as Underoath proves they still have plenty of originality and creativity left in them.
"The Created Void" is a creative piece which talks about the world's inability to understand us as Christians and Christians desire to share God with a world living in false reality. It's slowing pace and singing offers us an island in a sea of screams midway through the album. It's another one of my favorites.
In "Coming Down is Calming Down" the pace picks up again and the momentum carries on and keeps your attention.
Again, Underoath's sound leans in the "Define the Great Line" direction with "Desperate Times, Desperate Measures". It's still a very good song, but I think they could have pushed the envelope a little more. It's drum driven and just as heavy as anything you'll find by Underoath and it certainly makes for an interesting (again, interesting is a good thing in my reviews) listen for any new-school Underoath fan.
As the final climax, "Desperate Times, Desperate Measures" ends, things begin to wind down with "Too Bright to See Too Loud to Hear". The lyrics are perhaps the most Christian of all the lyrics on the album. Aaron sings, "Good God if Your song leaves our lips / If Your work leaves our hands / Then we will be wanderers and vagabonds" and the song finally builds into passionate screams in the end. The song, laden with melodic singing, sounds almost as if it could have been on "They're Only Chasing Safety", but luckily it still offers up something new that Underoath fans will dub the "Lost in the Sound of Separation" sound.
The last track, "Desolate Earth :: The End is Here" finally slows the record to a halt in a very well done fashion. The lyrics are not as dark as the title, and they are only introduced in the last moments of the song. "You said there was nothing left down here / Well I roamed around the wasteland / And I swear I found something / I found hope, I found God / I found the dreams of the believers". As a standalone track I don't think that it would do very well, but it is a perfect end to wrap up the entire album.
Overall while some songs were heavier then what was found on "Define the Great Line", the album as a whole was not. However the greatness of an album is not determined by how heavy it is, or whether or not it's more "brutal" than anything previously released by the band. It comes down to creativity, quality and entertainment. While guitar feedback and howling screams certainly add to the experience, that's not what it's all about.
In this age were the "shuffle" setting reigns on every teenagers iPod it's refreshing to hear an album that is as strong when you play through it in the traditional vinyl fashion as when you tear it apart and listen to a single song at a time. I'd have to say this is not only the best Underoath album of all time, but the best album of 2008. It just gets better with every listen, and as with a Maylene and the Sons of Disaster album, you just can't bring yourself to hit shuffle!
I give it four and a half out of five stars, near perfection. If they had added more infectious "They're Only Chasing Safety" style sing along melodies, added a guitar solo here and there and branched out a little more from "Define the Great Line" I would have given it five stars. I know Underoath is more drum driven than guitar driven, but I would have loved to hear a guitar solo.
I'd highly recommend "Lost in the Sound of Separation" to fans of hardcore, metalcore, August Burns Red, The Devil Wears Prada, Haste the Day, Norma Jean, Demon Hunter, Mortal Treason, Spoken and The Showdown.
I Am Impressed...| Posted August 27, 2008
I just finished my listen through of the new CD, there is a lot more of Aaron then I think some other reviewers may have heard from the preview, not as much as They're Only Chasing Safety but more then Define The Great Line, and that is a good thing in my books, I wasn't the biggest fan of Define The Great line but at the same time it was TOCS that got me into Underoath.
First of all the lyrics are definitely personal to these guys and you can feel that when you hear most of the songs, musically they just keep getting better, I thought Define was very good musically just didn't have the catchy tunes TOCS did, I haven't really latched onto any of the new songs yet but I'm sure they will grow on me, a couple of songs I think will really stick out to people are Too Bright Too See Too Loud Too Hear and The Created Void, both have a lot of Aaron and like I said earlier that is never a bad thing.
All in all better than Define The Great Line in my opinion, I will give it some more time to grow on me and I may give it a perfect rating if it can do that.
awesomeness!!| Posted January 18, 2010
This album is the best! Aaron Gilespie, the drummer, is the reason why I listened to it in the first place. After I listened to it over and over, the screaming lyrics grew on me. At first I didn't like the screaming bands, but now my opinion has changed. If you like hard rock, you should give it a try! :)
completley awesome| Posted October 28, 2009
One of the best albums on this earth..
i love their edgy sound and awesome beats...they have this mix of melodies and screamo that i absolutly love...
you can never get tierd of it...
love it :D
i give it a 5!!!
Facing forward, sinking in thin air...| Posted August 16, 2009 ...help me learn to breathe again
After hearing Define the Great Line, I was sure that no Underoath album would appeal to me as much as They're Only Chasing Safety had. While most of my friends enjoyed DtGL more, I was left on the sidelines... with the exception of a couple favorites, I never enjoyed the whole album. I knew the tone for Lost in the Sound of Separation would be roughly similar judging by Desperate Times, Desperate Measures and anticipated finding a few songs that I loved while struggling to get through the rest. Boy, was I ever wrong.
There is a new level of depth here that surpasses any other Underoath album. The musical patterns are unique and several tracks depart from the standard "verse (screams) - chorus (singing) - verse (screams) - chorus (singing) - bridge - chorus, etc." pattern. Spencer's growls are more vicious and guttural than any previous album that he's been a part of, making the interplay between his screams and Aaron's harmonies all that much stronger.
And then there is the lyrics. Wow. This is one of those albums that I could start writing about the lyrics and just not stop until I had quoted the entire CD booklet. I am incredibly proud of the band for their representation of God... ten of the eleven songs reference Him, most of them directly by name and not just the ambiguous "You" which is all too prominent in most music of this nature today. More important to me however, is the context of these references.
The prominent theme running through the album is the constant cycle of being caught up in sin, struggling to break free from that sin, and finding relief and refuge... only to later fall back into that sin. They deal not only with the depression of the struggle itself, but also the all-too-familiar burden of knowing that they have failed God in the process.
Repeat, repeat / Repent and repeat... The cycle never really ends... This is how it seems to be / I've drowned myself in self-regret / This is how I want to be / This cannot be how I want to be
It's been dancing around in my head for quite some time / Just the thought of cleaning up myself... It's all been a blur and nothing will change... I was lying / This is defeat... How could this be real? / I've failed You
Anyone who's lived long enough on this earth has either experienced that or seen others go through it and can closely sympathize with it. It is a theme (wanting to get over something and falling back into repeatedly) that strongly appeals to non-Christians as well... and while Underoath never attempts to beat anyone over the head with it, they constantly reference God as their ultimate saving grace and redemption.
I'm the desperate and You're the Savior.
I am the one who's wrong... God forgive me
I hate that I'm questioning You're everything
The floors are shaking and we've lost our step / Oh Lord have mercy on us all
Clean me up, show me how to live / Tear me down, Let me start again
You said there was nothing left down here / Well, I roamed the wasteland... I swear I found something / I found hope, I found God
Lost in the Sound of Separation delivers a poignant message, wrapped in a package of screaming and singing that will appeal to some and turn away others... but rest assured, this is Underoath at their best.
My Highlights: The Created Void, A Fault Line A Fault of Mine, Too Bright to See Too Loud to Hear
It's all in my head, if You want, You can look inside
There's nothing but red and all the mess I've been
It's all in the way I say what I don't mean and mean what I don't
I need to speak of You and what is real
Very good| Posted October 05, 2008
Underoath did an incredible job on this album.
I've been waiting for it come out for forever.
They have their same sound but the songs are enjoyable nonetheless.
Very good album.
to add lyrics if not listed.
