IN FLAMES and NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS are happy to announce exclusive anniversary vinyl re-issues of the band’s …
Underoath may well be one of the most prolific metalcore acts ever. As one of the first bands to adopt both clean and heavy vocals; as well as the use of electronics in a ‘post-hardcore’ style, Underoath ultimatley rewrote the metalcore playbook.
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Now 20 years on, the metalcore icons are a dramatically different outfit. With electronic percussion, modern day rappers and cinematic soundscapes being the driving force behind the group’s newest album Voyeurist, it seems the group are pushing themselves even further from the band’s emo roots.
“For us it just felt right,” reflects the group’s keyboardist Christopher Dudley.
“We aren’t afraid to write anything,” he continues, “if it’s something we are feeling, it will end up on a record. Back when we did Erase Me that was exactly what we were wanting to do at that time and now Voyeurist is exactly what we are wanting to write at this point in time.”
“The idea of doing something different and branching out has always been something we have been very comfortable with. I think if we wrote a record that sounded like something we had done before, that’s when we would feel uncomfortable.”
Clearly sticking to his word, Voyeurist highlights the group’s most ambitious and experimental work to date. Most notably on Cycle, the genre-bending collaboration which sees the group work alongside Ghostmane.
“We knew we wanted somebody dark and who could rap and he was one of the first people who came to mind” says Dudley.
“His latest record for us felt really modern and cool, whilst still having a 90’s Manson vibe to it, which is right up my alley.”
Discussing the “90’s Manson vibe” to Ghostmane’s sound, the conversation naturally flowed onto discussing the new era of ‘emo rap’, with the late Lil Peep getting a mention.
“He actually sampled an Underoath song!” exclaims Chris, “We didn’t know about it at the time and found out way later on, but it turned out so cool.”
“I love that idea. Not feeling like you have to stay in a lane. No matter if you’re a rapper, a heavy musician or a country artist, just write what you feel. I feel like musicians don’t tend to listen to one genre of music, so I try to think about those differing tastes and turn them into something you love. It’s hard at times but rewarding.”
Although, whilst that may be a very creatively liberal approach, it does beg the question of whether or not it makes it harder to enjoy as the years pass. After all, not many people can say their taste in music is exactly the same as it was ten years ago.
If we wrote a song or part because it’s what we thought people wanted to hear and then two years down the track didn’t like it, that would be regrettable.
[ Christopher Dudley ]
“I think we always look at our records as a snapshot,” states Dudley. “We aren’t really writing for any other purpose than getting on stage and being stoked that we are playing those songs. I mean, there are plenty of songs that I look back at and think ‘yeah I wouldn’t write that song today’, but that’s what makes us us.”
“If we wrote a song or part because it’s what we thought people wanted to hear and then two years down the track didn’t like it, that would be regrettable. Because you swung for something that you didn’t believe in that you thought people would love and you missed. And now you’re stuck with something on a record that you didn’t really like at the time and you still don’t like.”
“Although, the fact that we have been able to do this for as long as we have given how long we have changed our sound and what we are doing, is not lost on me. I’m super thankful for that. I mean, how many bands can you think of who put out a record that was different from what people expected and people just go ‘oh, well we won’t listen to them anymore’.”
“So the fact that we still have this career however many years later is something I’m super thankful of.”
After experiencing some technical difficulties during their headliner set at UNIFY 2019, the band can’t wait to get back down to Australia, with some “big announcements coming soon” that Dudley hopes will “make up” for that set.
“That was not a good show for us,” he laughs. “We flew from Florida to Australia which was like 32 hours and then we rolled straight into the festival for our set. We didn’t know but we had technical problems for the first 30 seconds of our set, but because we had in ear’s in we could only hear the playback … so we thought we were killing it and then we looked out and the crowds like … wait … what? We didn’t actually find out until later on what was going on and it was such a bummer because it just felt like they weren’t into … when they actually just couldn’t hear.”
“I’m excited to come back and make up for that show.”
As exciting as that sounds, you’ll have some time to familiarise yourself with Voyeurist first, especially considering the group are currently gearing up to tour the US alongside Slipknot. Although, if the debut of Voyeurist’s material in the band’s live streamed set from ‘The Observatory’ is anything to go by, it looks well worth the wait.
Purchase and stream here.
