"If I wasn't in the band I wouldn't have listened to our past records ― but I would listen [to this one]," Underoath lead singer Spencer Chamberlain enthuses about Ø (Disambiguation), the hardcore band's darkest effort yet. "The poppy stuff from before isn't my style," he explains. "The dark, heavy feeling is something I really enjoy. One of my favourite bands of all time is the Deftones and this record has a similar vibe."
With drummer/singer Aaron Gillespie departing the band earlier this year, it left Chamberlain in command, expanding his role while eliminating the pop elements. It was also a chance for the band to make a statement. "People thought we were like a wounded soldier because we lost our drummer," Chamberlain says. "That's not the case. The title [of the album] means to make clear and we're making it clear that this is the best line-up and music we've ever written."
While in the studio, all six members had to approve every part recorded to ensure everyone was "stoked on the record." The result? Their most structured release. "We wanted to write songs, not just riffs," he says. "We got crazier and more experimental but we did that in an orderly fashion, rather than chaos without structure like our last record. This is the first time the band has ever been completely happy; it's the first time we've 100 percent gotten along; and it's the first time the band has all wanted the same thing. I know it's our best record."
With drummer/singer Aaron Gillespie departing the band earlier this year, it left Chamberlain in command, expanding his role while eliminating the pop elements. It was also a chance for the band to make a statement. "People thought we were like a wounded soldier because we lost our drummer," Chamberlain says. "That's not the case. The title [of the album] means to make clear and we're making it clear that this is the best line-up and music we've ever written."
While in the studio, all six members had to approve every part recorded to ensure everyone was "stoked on the record." The result? Their most structured release. "We wanted to write songs, not just riffs," he says. "We got crazier and more experimental but we did that in an orderly fashion, rather than chaos without structure like our last record. This is the first time the band has ever been completely happy; it's the first time we've 100 percent gotten along; and it's the first time the band has all wanted the same thing. I know it's our best record."
