Disco de Underoath: “Define the Great Line [Bonus DVD]”

It's difficult not to sound the slightest bit overzealous when reviewing this album, because let's face it, it's good. Very good.

Let's go back for a second. They're Only Chasing Safety...Underoath unavoidably set a standard for themselves and fans alike, the only concern following that release was, how in the hell are they going to top themselves, let alone be reinventive in a fast-deteriorating genre filled with hopeless lyrical "insight" and overproduced material that generates undeserved attention.

We all fear a band like this selling out big time and becoming the next casualty to mainstream, essentially supressing any notion of talent these guys actually have. Fortunate for us however, they shattered their own conception of hardcore/screamo (whatever you wanna call it), and produced this fine piece of work that almost qualifies on the boundary of a concept album.

Define The Great Line is what happens when you realize that moving backwards is necessary to move forward. The songwriting is stronger, the technical composition is far more unearthed and complex than any of us could have imagined. The level of experimental elements is no match for The Changing Of Times, though it comes damn close with lenghty interludes and instrumentals that serve siginificant purposes found in the meat of the album.

UO is becoming increasingly sharper with their craft, which is far more than most bands out there could say. They've taken the road less traveled in order to push their sound into a theamatic/cinematic state with intelligent songwriting (ie: Thrice, Thursday) that requires more than just a glance at the liner notes. Define The Great Line is certainly not your average disposal-worthy "screamo" record, it strikes at the heart of an ailing genere of music that's bound to collapse. UO has undoubetly accomplished something that has the balls to contend as their most accomplished masterpiece to date. Kudos to these

guys for monumentally exceeding the expectations, this is what a follow-up to an album like TOCS should and ought to sound like.

Personal Picks:

- In Regards To Myself

- You're Ever So Inviting

- Returning Empty Handed

- Casting Such A Thin Shadow

- Everyone Looks So Good From Here

This record far surpasses any of their other releases, and has showed that their music has matured so much since aod and cotp. Im glad spencer decided to use his lower screams in this album more, it remindes me of his old band this runs through. The only complaint i have about this album is how the middle of the cd drops any momentum it had and throws in 2 songs that bore the crap outa me. Other than that is pretty good!

Crafted with the help of Atlanta-based producer/drummer Matt Goldman - who helped pour the rhythmic foundation - and Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz - who lent his experience to help capture the guitars and vocals and encouraged these Warped Tour veterans to use E-bows, reel bows and experiment with delays and effects pedals - the resulting DEFINE THE GREAT LINE is a mind-blowing song-cycle that resets the notion of what hardcore, screamo or whatever you want to call it, can be.

from start to finish this cd delivers a punch to the mouth with heavier sound than the last cd

all togther the emotion compacted in this cd is abolutly amazing and no one can compare/compete with this album

10/10 hands down

I'm not here to write some huge review that will take you forever to read so i'm gonna make this short and sweet. This album is the definiton of perfection.

"They're Only Chasing Safety" didn't really do much for me and I was afraid this album was going to sound a lot like that one. I was completely wrong. However, people who are looking for another "They're Only Chasing Safety" are going to be disapointed. This album easily puts their previous one to shame. There isn't one song on this album that I can say I don't like. Aaron's drums are amazing and Spencer's screams are so much more deep and he really uses the full range of his voice. The thought of giving this cd anything less than five stars is completely crazy. Oh and if you cant decide to get the special edition with the bonus dvd just do it. The dvd was easily worth the little extra money.

at first i wasn't so sure about this album. all the songs seemed to blend together and i had a hard time differentiating them. and when i started to hear those oh too common riffs that sounded a little bit too much like norma jean and every other wanna be metalcore band, i started too worry.

but after a few listens i was like "wow, this is a really good album." underoath is one of the only bands that can pull of the singing/screaming thing and make it flow so well (they do it so much better than bands like Demon Hunter and Haste The Day). it's also amazing how they can blend so many different kinds of music into one album. i hear everything from norma jean, beloved, as cities burn, and even isis (just to name a few). like i said, in general i don't care too much for those norma jeanish riffs. but they make it fit into their music so well that it just flows. one thing i am glad of is that they have only one "real breakdown." it wouldn't fit them to have more.

fans of "they're only chasing safety" may not appreciate this album as much. it's much heavier and much more raw, yet they still manage to keep their melody, singing, and soft parts. without that, it would not be the same old underoath. it'll help to keep some of their old fans.

one of coolest things about this band is that they change up their music every album. they never stick to the same formula, and i really respect that. with the success of "they're only chasing safety" this would have been the time to stick to that style or ever go softer for more publicity. but no, they went just the opposite, which i think is awesome. props to them for being ballsy and going even heavier.

pick up this album and don't judge it on first listen. it may take some time to get used to. once you do, it's killer.