Ø (Disambiguation)

Released: November 9, 2010

Label: Tooth & Nail, Roadrunner

Producers: Matt Goldman, Jeremy S.H. Griffith

Lineup:

Spencer Chamberlain - lead vocals

Tim McTague - lead guitar

James Smith - rhythm guitar

Grant Brandell - bass guitar

Chris Dudley - keyboards

Daniel Davison - drums

Change is a polarizing aspect of life. It can be a wonderful thing, or a terrible thing. Both viewpoints can depend on how you decide to look at said change, or even just by the nature of the situation. Change occurred in a big way prior to the recording of Disambiguation, the seventh (and thus far) last record from Underoath. Aaron Gillespie, the only member to have been present on the recording of every Underoath album since Act of Depression, and the last original member of the band, decided to depart from the group. Eventually, the band enlisted former Norma Jean drummer Daniel Davison to take over on drums, while Chamberlain took on the role of both screaming and clean vocals.

While Lost in the Sound of Separation was chaotic and dark, Disambiguation is just, well, dark. It’s a fantastic record, yet something feels different. Spencer Chamberlain was the sole vocalist, and the intensity of his words was brilliantly communicated to listeners on every track. Additionally, the band worked with producers Matt Goldman and Jeremy S.H. Griffin at Glow in the Dark Studios in Atlanta from May to July 2010 to bring the album to life.

The album received good reception, debuting at number 23 on the Billboard 200 and selling 24,000 copies in its first week. Three years later, however, Underoath announced to fans that they would be disbanding. The band announced one “final” tour with openers mewithoutYou, As Cities Burn, and Letlive. Their final performance (at the time) took place at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg, Florida. To commemorate the show, Aaron Gillespie joined the band onstage to perform “Emergency Broadcast :: The End Is Near” and “Reinventing Your Exit.” For a period of time, Underoath would be no more.

That is, until a cryptic message appeared on the Internet in mid-2015. Rebirth is coming.

Rebirth and the Future

Mid-July 2015. Fans open their Facebook, Twitter, and various other social media accounts to do a usual check of their timelines. Underoath is suddenly back in their news feed, for some odd reason. A sole, cryptic video plays across their screens, with only the words “Rebirth Is Coming” flashed across the screen. Excitement hits us all. It can’t be true… Can it?

As it was later discovered, the audio played in the video, when played backwards, was the chorus for “It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door”.

August 24, 2015. A countdown timer appears on the band’s website. Only time would tell what the clock truly means. The timer hits 00:00:00, and it’s confirmed. They’re back.

Underoath announce via Alternative Press, in an interview with both Spencer Chamberlain and Aaron Gillespie, that they would indeed be reuniting. Their first show since disbanding would be at Self Help Fest in San Bernadino, California on March 19, 2016, and a subsequent reunion tour would follow, where the band would play both They’re Only Chasing Safety and Define The Great Line in full.

As I stated before, only time will tell whether the band’s reunion is temporary or permanent. But one thing is absolutely for certain: Underoath are back, even if temporarily. Their history is a rich one, filled with powerfully crafted music and ridiculously unforgettable live performances. This tour will only add to that history, and we should be honored to be a part of it.

Welcome back, gentlemen. We’ve been waiting for you.

This post was written by Jared Stossel, editor in chief and main photographer/podcaster at Shameless Promotions & Media. He is an avid fan of music, television, and film, and has slowly been diving into the world of comic books. He currently resides in California.