Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Underoath
In most bands, the first member to get sacked is usually the drummer. But in Christian melodic hardcore band Underoath, the only original member left after a series of line-up changes is drummer Aaron Gillespie. The lesson: Jesus loves drummers. All kidding aside, the fact that Underoath still has any kind of following despite the departures of high-profile members like Dallas Taylor must mean it really does have God on its side. (Or maybe there's just not much competition for the affections of headbanging Sunday-schoolers.) Either way, Underoath has persevered and even thrived amid inner-band turmoil, with its latest record, Lost In The Sound Of Separation, debuting at No. 8 on the Billboard album charts in September.
Christian Music News Source
Christian Music News Source
- If you don’t know much about post-hardcore and screamo but you really want to learn then there is no better album in existence to learn from than "They’re Only Chasing Safety."
Underoath has undoubtedly created an absolute masterpiece. Every song on the album is pure genius, from the dark, drop-d riffage to the powerful, crisp drumbeats. One listen to "It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door" will definitely have you hooked. From the first 30 seconds of the album, your ears are abused with an almost perfect balance of screams from front man Spencer Chamberlain and harmonious, melodic choruses and insets from drummer and vocalist Aaron Gillespie. Aaron is the only original member of the Christian screamo riot house, and he is definitely the driving force on this album. He commands the songs, throwing them into mayhem through verse and chorus and reining them back in through middle 8ths. This man deserves an award for his ability to keep a drumbeat going with such ferocity whilst delivering such timeless vocals and a range that any front man of a band would aspire to.
"Reinventing Your Exit" is the most commercial offering from the album, and has helped to build a wider fan base. The lyrics harbour subtle odes to their religious routes without being too in your face. "Young and Aspiring" and "I’ve Got Ten Friends…" are testaments within themselves to Underoath’s ability to make such a raw genre of music be so accessible and easy to listen to.
There really is only one negative point to this stand alone screamo revolution. You will play it through so many times that eventually you will wear it out and have to buy and new copy, over and over again. Kudos to the boys from Florida. Let’s hope they preach more of the same in the future.
Christian Music News Source
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Music tour sheds light on heavy topics like addiction
The Heavy and Light show started with a spark and ended with a bang as six acoustic performers played to a packed House of Blues on Sunday night. With patrons lining the walls of the balcony, sprawled out on the couches or engaged in conversation, a homey, community feeling filled the building.
The energy was high, and so was the respect for a cause started two years ago in Orlando. High-schoolers and 20-somethings filled the venue in support of musicians and speakers dedicated to bringing an end to depression and addiction through the non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms.
Renee Yohe, whose story of self-mutilation inspired TWLOHA, said that being part of the tour and recounting the things that she went through was a healing process.
"Thank you for being here, being a part of this," Yohe said from the stage. "[Thank you for] letting this be more than just a story, but something that you can take and use to reach other people, to bring hope to other people and find [hope] in your own lives."
The event boasted performances from Jon Foreman, the frontman for Switchfoot; Aaron Gillespie of Underoath and The Almost; and Dustin Kensrue from the up-and-coming band Thrice. But with a raw, almost hesitant voice reminiscent of Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, the runaway surprise performance was new artist Zach Williams. He captured the audience's attention with honest songs from a past that knew pain and suffering, hope and healing.
UCF alumna Jennifer Pagan had never heard of TWLOHA, but went to Heavy and Light to hear the acoustic performances.
"I was really excited to see some ... really mellow bands," Pagan said. "It's really nice to hear acoustic because you don't see it very often."
Gillespie performed with an easy charm and engaging presence that kept the audience cheering. Even when his guitar string broke halfway through a song, he handled it with such grace and humor that the crowd patiently waited for more.
Gillespie was perhaps the most enjoyable act of the night, performing several songs from his bands as well as a cover of Oasis' "Wonderwall." Gillespie closed the set with his take on the classic gospel song "Amazing Grace" and a modern worship song, "Your Love is Extravagant," to which most of the audience sang along.
TWLOHA staff member Denny Kolsch shared his fight against heroin addiction with a transparency and vulnerability that felt like he was talking to a best friend.
"Tonight is a night to recognize the heaviness of life and the lightness of it," Kolsch said. "To celebrate the light ... and tonight's the night to proclaim that hope is real."
Josh Maliczowski, a UCF nursing major, said that Kolsch's story was very uplifting.
"I know a couple of people that have dealt with stuff like that in the past," Kolsch said. "Everybody needs to hear [stories] like that.
"We hope that hopeless situations become hopeful tonight, through our stories, through our songs, through our conversations ... that's the core of what we're trying to do."
Jamie Tworkowski, the founder of TWLOHA, encouraged audience members to never give up in the face of hard times.
"If you're standing in this room, you're alive," he said. "If there's air in your lungs, you're alive, and your story's not over."
Christian Music News Source
The energy was high, and so was the respect for a cause started two years ago in Orlando. High-schoolers and 20-somethings filled the venue in support of musicians and speakers dedicated to bringing an end to depression and addiction through the non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms.
Renee Yohe, whose story of self-mutilation inspired TWLOHA, said that being part of the tour and recounting the things that she went through was a healing process.
"Thank you for being here, being a part of this," Yohe said from the stage. "[Thank you for] letting this be more than just a story, but something that you can take and use to reach other people, to bring hope to other people and find [hope] in your own lives."
The event boasted performances from Jon Foreman, the frontman for Switchfoot; Aaron Gillespie of Underoath and The Almost; and Dustin Kensrue from the up-and-coming band Thrice. But with a raw, almost hesitant voice reminiscent of Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, the runaway surprise performance was new artist Zach Williams. He captured the audience's attention with honest songs from a past that knew pain and suffering, hope and healing.
UCF alumna Jennifer Pagan had never heard of TWLOHA, but went to Heavy and Light to hear the acoustic performances.
"I was really excited to see some ... really mellow bands," Pagan said. "It's really nice to hear acoustic because you don't see it very often."
Gillespie performed with an easy charm and engaging presence that kept the audience cheering. Even when his guitar string broke halfway through a song, he handled it with such grace and humor that the crowd patiently waited for more.
Gillespie was perhaps the most enjoyable act of the night, performing several songs from his bands as well as a cover of Oasis' "Wonderwall." Gillespie closed the set with his take on the classic gospel song "Amazing Grace" and a modern worship song, "Your Love is Extravagant," to which most of the audience sang along.
TWLOHA staff member Denny Kolsch shared his fight against heroin addiction with a transparency and vulnerability that felt like he was talking to a best friend.
"Tonight is a night to recognize the heaviness of life and the lightness of it," Kolsch said. "To celebrate the light ... and tonight's the night to proclaim that hope is real."
Josh Maliczowski, a UCF nursing major, said that Kolsch's story was very uplifting.
"I know a couple of people that have dealt with stuff like that in the past," Kolsch said. "Everybody needs to hear [stories] like that.
"We hope that hopeless situations become hopeful tonight, through our stories, through our songs, through our conversations ... that's the core of what we're trying to do."
Jamie Tworkowski, the founder of TWLOHA, encouraged audience members to never give up in the face of hard times.
"If you're standing in this room, you're alive," he said. "If there's air in your lungs, you're alive, and your story's not over."
Christian Music News Source
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Chiodos, Saosin, Underoath, NOFX, Bad Religon, 3OH!3 Set For 2009 Warped Tour
Chiodos, Saosin, Underoath, NOFX, Bad Religon, 3OH!3 Set For 2009 Warped Tour
We caught up with Kevin Lyman to get his thoughts on the difficulty in putting together the lineup for the tour's 15th Anniversary.
"It's not easy getting the lineup down, it's saying no to the 90 percent of the people that don't get on the lineup. That's the hardest part. I'm still trying to get my head around to saying 'No, you're not going to get on this year's tour.' Because, now it's getting harder and that's why we started the Mayhem Tour, my other Summer Tour because so many Metal bands wanted to get on Warped Tour and I'm going 'Why don't you have a home of your own.'"
Just a few of the bands scheduled to perform on the 2009 Warped Tour will be 3OH!3, The A.K.A's, Bad Religion, Bayside, Chiodos, The Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly, Less Than Jake, NOFX, Saosin, Senses Fail, Shooter Jennings, Thrice, Underoath, Meg & Dia, Streetlight Manifesto, A Day to Remember, A Skylit Drive, Escape the Fate and TAT to name just a few. The Tour kicks off June 26th in Pomona, Ca and will extend until August 23rd in Los Angeles.
Christian Music News Source
We caught up with Kevin Lyman to get his thoughts on the difficulty in putting together the lineup for the tour's 15th Anniversary.
"It's not easy getting the lineup down, it's saying no to the 90 percent of the people that don't get on the lineup. That's the hardest part. I'm still trying to get my head around to saying 'No, you're not going to get on this year's tour.' Because, now it's getting harder and that's why we started the Mayhem Tour, my other Summer Tour because so many Metal bands wanted to get on Warped Tour and I'm going 'Why don't you have a home of your own.'"
Just a few of the bands scheduled to perform on the 2009 Warped Tour will be 3OH!3, The A.K.A's, Bad Religion, Bayside, Chiodos, The Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly, Less Than Jake, NOFX, Saosin, Senses Fail, Shooter Jennings, Thrice, Underoath, Meg & Dia, Streetlight Manifesto, A Day to Remember, A Skylit Drive, Escape the Fate and TAT to name just a few. The Tour kicks off June 26th in Pomona, Ca and will extend until August 23rd in Los Angeles.
Christian Music News Source
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