Erase Me

Underoath’s They’re Only Chasing Safety was such a massive pile of shit that it took years for the band to redeem themselves. Their efforts paid off with the explosive, abrasive onslaught that was Ø (Disambiguation) which, while not perfect, was a new chapter and acceptance of their darker nature. They tapped into the callous side of modern metalcore and spun it with their own brand to create some potent, ferocious music. It took ditching one of their (since returned) key members, Aaron Gillespie, to do it. When they broke up, it was like all that zealous productivity hadn’t reached its full potential and we were left without hearing their Final Form, so to speak. In reuniting, they turned a What Could Have Been… ending into a Finish What We Started arc. But now that we have the answer, maybe it’s better to have gotten the bittersweet finale as opposed to the lackluster return.

Erase Me is a letdown. It has to start somewhere – Gillespie (and his now deepened boyish cleans) is an easy scapegoat, but I don’t believe it’s him. I described Gillespie’s drumming in the past as undulating, which is apt as I think helps add to the weight of Erase Me like it did for Lost in the Sound of Separation. The metal scene changed drastically and to an extent left Underoath behind playing catch-up. It’s one thing to play brazen, dissonant metalcore of old when crushing riffs, passionate crescendos, and odder conventions elevated the music. It’s another to throw that all away and completely disregard the changing of times. There used to be an Underoath awash with ideas, packing their songs with several post-hardcore harmonies, balanced roars and screams complimented by restful cleans, pounding rhythms, and metallic grit. Now we’re stuck with pedestrian alternative rock at the core and some remnants of who they used to be.

I’d joke by saying it’s almost as if the album telegraphs which songs are bad (the even-numbered ones). It’s a little more nuanced than that, but the core problem still remains the writing. It’s too simplistic, the hooks don’t hit as strong, they pushed the guitars under the drums, there’s no single song that outshines the others, and all that’s left is a pretty underwhelming experience. It’s a bad sign when songs have nothing to offer except mild choruses like in “Rapture” or “Wake Me”. Then you have others like “Sink With You” that cave in on itself by going absolutely nowhere. And don’t get me started on “No Frame” wasting my time with all but the last thirty seconds being worthless. I’m not sure what the band’s intention was to have so many songs that don’t click with each other (like there was no singular vision behind any of it).

Great alternative / post-hardcore bands weave intertwining emotional melodies, use vocals to accentuate the central tone, and then attract the listener through whatever means they see fit. Great bands don’t write stagnant verses and predictable choruses to justify their existence. I don’t mind if they want to low-ball it with songs like “I Gave Up” and “Bloodlust” because they’re catchy, but it’s totally effortless. No amount of electronic noises and keyboard doodling can cover that up. Instead, it’s a surefire way for me to want to listen to Saosin or Ghost Atlas where I’m rewarded with deeper introspection and gripping payoffs. The opener and “On My Teeth” have a bit of that poise in riffing and ardent atmosphere, as do aspects of “Hold Your Breath”. But that’s few and far between, and what ends up sounding the best on this album would pass as one of the weaker tracks on previous ones.

I’m not sure where Underoath goes from here. After publically disavowing Christianity, which was a big moment in redefining their identity, Erase Me feels like a footnote. It fails to stand on its own merits as an alternative / post-hardcore album. It benefits from slick production and generally good performances, but suffers from ineffective writing and lack of ingenuity. It makes the years they spent rebuilding their reputation through incrementally improving their writing style, incorporating heavier influences again, Chamberlain developing his vocals, and individual resolve feel like it was abandoned. They’ve atoned for past mistakes more than once. Let’s just hope they’re able to recognize that and do what they have to do.