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How Losing Religion Saved Underoath

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Melody Bot, Mar 27, 2018.

  1. Melody Bot

    Your friendly little forum bot. Staff Member

    This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply.

    Underoath sat down with Revolver to talk about their upcoming album:


    “One of the best things we ever did was when we agreed not to be a Christian band anymore,” Chamberlain tells Revolver. “And when we made this record the [phrase], ‘that’s not Underoath enough,’ was not allowed to be said because those two things fucking ruined our band in the first place.”

     
    Stevangelion and Furman like this.
  2. justin.

    請叫我賴總統 Supporter

    Let’s be real, the majority of criticisms to the new songs (especially Rapture) haven’t been about the change in religion to some of the members but the sound itself. Christianity isn’t a sound and if Spencer thinks a positive sound will reflect from a personal change to him then he has a big wall coming up that he won’t be satisfied with.
     
  3. Hmm, that’s not the interpretation of what he said I took from the article.
     
  4. sawhney[rusted]2

    I'll write you into all of my songs Supporter

    It definitely doesn't seem like that's what he's saying though? He felt that there was a burden that was associated with the constraints of being "The Christian Post-hardcore/Metalcore Band, Underoath", rather than Underoath. There's definitely a "brand" aspect to the expectations of the band that is much more intense than similar acts that are "non-Christian", due to the smaller pool.
     
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  5. justin.

    請叫我賴總統 Supporter

    I’m comparing the band no longer being Christian to the “that’s not Underoath enough” quote. To many people, including myself, even though we related to the Christian image of the band, the sound is what we enjoyed and it’s what fans will ultimately want. Fans will complain about the sound of ‘Rapture’ even if Spencer was still Christian.
     
  6. bmir14

    Trusted Supporter

    God is dead
     
  7. justin. Mar 27, 2018
    (Last edited: Mar 27, 2018)
    justin.

    請叫我賴總統 Supporter

    I agree that there is a burden because there’s a specific group that follows Christian Metalcore bands and they expect a certain sound, but Metalcore is a part of that. Just because the band is no longer Christian doesn’t mean that people still won’t expect a similar sounding Underoath to what they heard 10 years ago. Ending the religious roots of the band doesn’t exterminate the overall sound expectations that people will have.

    From the article I would agree that Spencer losing his religion helped him in his drug battle due to the extremely disappointing way the community treated him, but not Underoath itself. The quality and feedback of new material factors into that.
     
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  8. RobJGolde

    Wrecked 'em? Damn near killed 'em!

    It terms of sound, yeah, "Rapture" isn't my cup of tea (couldn't get into Sleepwave), but "On My Teeth" is great. Hoping there's a little more of that on the record.
    In regards to (myself) shaking off the "Christian" brand, I can see how that'd be more freeing. It gives them more freedom to say what they really feel without having to feel guilt or tip-toe around what their faith and fans with faith expect them to say. I doubt it's affected their own personal faith, but I think it's cool that they decided to separate from their music.
     
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  9. andrewcloer Mar 27, 2018
    (Last edited: Mar 27, 2018)
    andrewcloer

    Lurking AP since 2005. Lurking Chorus since 2016.

    I know this narrative seems to be working well for them, but it's a little tiring for the people that actually stayed with them through 2008-2013 and through the reunion. (The Christianity part, not the drug part. Glad Spencer free of that and happy.) I would love to see an interview that talks more in depth about the music. Everything they've said in all these interviews is a complete regurgitation of the rocksound interview. I would be cool to hear someone else's perspective in the band in one of these interviews. I heard the AP article is gonna be pretty revealing, but I think it's still Spencer/Aaron if not just Spencer.
     
  10. kpatrickwood

    Give what you can.

    Their souls belong to Fat Mike now.
     
  11. chubacca Mar 27, 2018
    (Last edited: Mar 27, 2018)
    chubacca

    Newbie

    I find it interesting some of these bands find new life after battling their Christian beliefs. IE Underoath, Dustin Kensrue...
     
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  12. Selkies

    That guy looks familiar

    Pretty hype for this record either way.
     
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  13. Connor

    we're all a bunch of weirdos on a quest to belong Prestigious

    Pretty sure Kensrue is still Christian. Just not Evangelical from what i understand
     
  14. Orville

    Newbie

    Am i missing something here?
     
  15. Iamhollywood315

    Regular

    referencing the time Spencer was blowing lines with Fat Mike on the bus during warped tour. At the time nobody could fathom a "christian" band member would be caught doing stuff like that. Then again we were all naive in those days about this music scene. Also on a completely unrelated note caught me off guard he said fuck in one of the new songs.
     
  16. Stevangelion

    We Can (Not) Make It Alone.

    You know to be honest, from day one I knew that some member had to of believed in a god, but I never viewed Underoath as a Christian band… they never were the Relient K of Screamo to me. They were just Underoath who’s best album was “They’re Only Chasing Safety” but were still a good band.

    Most of the people in the scene around here during those days just saw them as Screamo Underoath, not ChristianCore Underoath.
     
  17. justin.

    請叫我賴總統 Supporter

    It’s surprising to have it come to light, yes. I think part of the problem is that the Christian Metal community forgot that Christians fall prey to addictionsike anyone else. Porn, cigarettes, drinking, gambling, etc.. It’s disheartening to hear that Spencer was not treated with compassion and was instead treated with hostility by the community he had put his faith into.
     
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  18. justin.

    請叫我賴總統 Supporter

    Exactly. As soon as Spencer joined the band Underoath became Christians in a band, not a band that is Christian. A lot of the songs covered personal issues. They were not the same as Devil Wears Prada or Impending Doom.
     
  19. TerrancePryor

    https://mp3sandnpcs.com/ Prestigious

  20. zachmacD Mar 27, 2018
    (Last edited: Mar 28, 2018)
    zachmacD

    Trusted

    What drugs were Spenser addicted to?
     
  21. snaps

    Regular Supporter

    Staying relevant.
     
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  22. kpatrickwood

    Give what you can.

    Hmm. I actually had no idea about that. It was more in reference to this.

     
    Larry David likes this.
  23. Connor

    we're all a bunch of weirdos on a quest to belong Prestigious

    He actually wasn’t blowing lines with Fat Mike. According to Spencer and other people on the tour bus on the night in question. They talk about it on the Labeled podcast
     
    disambigujason likes this.
  24. PureBlueSF

    Regular Supporter

    The religion stuff never concerned me because that was never the reason I listened to Underoath. I've never been a religious person. I listened to them because they consistently put out great albums that I adored and could still relate to for the most part. Songs like Desperate Times, Desperate Measures and A Boy Brushed Red helped me through so much shit in my life, it's not even funny.

    As far as the musical aspect goes, neither On My Teeth nor Rapture are really that different from the stuff they were doing before they originally split up. On My Teeth could definitely pass for a Disambiguation outtake and Rapture is not far removed from the song Unsound from their anthology album.
     
    disambigujason likes this.
  25. Lucas27

    Trusted

    It sounds like Spencer got swept up in Christian celeb culture where you’re put on a pedestal of infallibility because you have “Christian” labeled on you. What a terrible thing to have to deal with while battling drug addiction. The best art is birthed out of brokenness and no artist should ever be pressured to have it all together. It’s stifling to both art and personal growth and ironically very un-Christian.

    Glad he’s doing better. I do hope he has people around him and hasn’t given up on community in general.