Underoath

Florida hardcore outfit Underøath cultivated a loyal audience during the early 2000s as an aggressive Christian metalcore act before transforming into a versatile rock ensemble that fused heartfelt melodies with energetic punk rhythms. Mainstream breakthrough arrived via the 2004 release They’re Only Chasing Safety and the 2006 album Define the Great Line, both earning gold certification. After roughly a decade away from the spotlight, the group resurfaced in 2018 without any religious affiliation on the Grammy-nominated Erase Me, then delivered Voyeurist in 2022.

The band originated in 1998 inside vocalist Dallas Taylor’s bedroom. Less than twelve months later, the lineup featuring guitarist Corey Steger, drummer Aaron Gillespie, and bassist Octavio Fernandez signed with Alabama’s Takehold label. Underøath issued the six-track Act of Depression in July 1999, moving more than 2,000 copies, and followed it a year later with the five-song Cries of the Past, which surpassed 3,000 units sold. By then Octavio Fernandez had switched to second guitar, Matthew Benjamin Clark had taken over bass duties, and Christopher Dudley had joined on keyboards.

Takehold transferred its roster and catalog to Seattle’s Tooth & Nail/Solid State imprint in 2002. Underøath recorded the ten tracks that became The Changing of Times, their first project under the new arrangement. At that juncture Corey Steger and Matthew Benjamin Clark departed, replaced by guitarist Timothy McTague and bassist William Edwin Nottke. Dallas Taylor exited abruptly during the 2003 Warped Tour, prompting concern among fans about the group’s direction. Underøath, now including bassist Grant Brandell and guitarist James Smith, recruited former This Runs Through singer Spencer Chamberlain as the new frontman.

The refreshed roster unveiled They’re Only Chasing Safety the following year and toured in support alongside Thrice, the Bled, Hopesfall, and Fear Before the March of Flames. A deluxe edition containing four extra tracks appeared in fall 2005. Further road work included a spring 2006 headline run with Poison the Well and As Cities Burn. Remaining with Tooth & Nail rather than moving to a major, the six-piece demonstrated clear artistic development on Define the Great Line, released in June 2006. Darker and more emotionally charged than its predecessor, the set moved nearly 100,000 copies in its opening week and received gold status before year’s end. Reaching number two on the Billboard 200, it marked the highest-charting Christian album since LeAnn Rimes topped the chart with You Light Up My Life in 1997. Widely praised by listeners and reviewers and viewed by many as the band’s definitive statement, Underøath performed it from the main stage at that summer’s Warped Tour.

The group tracked 2008’s Lost in the Sound of Separation, an eleven-song effort that embraced a darker, more experimental yet still intense sonic palette. Drummer and vocalist Aaron Gillespie exited in 2009 and was succeeded by former Norma Jean drummer Daniel Davison. Underøath’s seventh full-length, Ø (Disambiguation), surfaced the next year and landed inside the Billboard 200’s top twenty-five. Following promotional touring, the members announced their dissolution.

Subsequent activity included the 2013 anthology Anthology: 1999-2013 on Solid State Records, the compilation Play Your Old Stuff, and reissues of Act of Depression and Cries of the Past. Although a short-lived reunion occurred in 2015, fresh material did not appear until the 2018 eighth studio album Erase Me. The band publicly shed its “Christian band” designation and welcomed the return of drummer and vocalist Gillespie. The record featured the singles “Rapture” and the Grammy-nominated “On My Teeth,” marking a pronounced shift from prior work by pairing characteristic intensity with sleek production from Matt Squire. A summer tour alongside Korn and Alice in Chains promoted the release. Original guitarist Corey Steger passed away at age 42 in an automobile accident on March 18, 2021.

Underøath resurfaced in 2021 with “Damn Excuses,” the lead single from their ninth album, Voyeurist. The energetic LP arrived in early 2022 and included “Cycle” featuring Ghostemane.