ALBUM REVIEW: Voyeurist – Underoath
There was a time when UNDEROATH could have been called pioneers in the dark arts of post-hardcore. They have left a lasting mark on many an adolescence with their engaging blend of progressive metalcore and unbridled catharsis. Fast forward across a lengthy career and we find a band that has conceivably been pushed into the ‘veteran’ bracket. 2018’s Erase Me was their first LP after a five-year hiatus, and they were welcomed back to the scene with open arms, even despite stylistic changes. And the crown still fits. They return again with Voyeurist, a blistering colossus that is truly definitive of the modern UNDEROATH era.
As a band UNDEROATH have always looked to evolve. Albeit mindful of their past, they afford equal attention to progression and the meticulous development of their sound. It is for this reason that they will continue to raise eyebrows and spark debate, but this is a healthy side effect of contemporary musicians pushing the envelope. Voyeurist is an intriguing listen, and one that meanders constantly. Damn Excuses is first up and it’s exactly the kind of raw, enigmatic metalcore that was required to kick-start this album. With a hint of groove and lashing of impact, it leads into Hallelujah which is a more melodic and refined track. The vocals here border on visceral but retain a real emotive edge. The guitars sweep and make use of subtle reverb to build a truly emotive atmosphere.
I’m Pretty Sure I’m Out Of Luck And Have No Friends begins with sampling – an unanswered emergency call ringing out on repeat – set atop an atmospheric, almost post rock introduction. It’s a lengthy passage that doesn’t gather any real pace until the final minute, but stands as a shining example of how UNDEROATH intend to rewrite the rule book. In stunning contrast, Cycle is a heatseeker that wastes no time bringing back the heaviness. Featuring GHOSTMANE, it rips through a series of heavy riffs, allowing the drums to resume their thunderous backdrop and hurtle towards one of the album’s more impactive breakdowns. “Reset the cycle!” they scream, as they batter our eardrums to mush.
Thorn sees the melodicism return, evocative of bands like CIRCA SURVIVE or I SEE STARS in the way the track flows with impossible emotion. It takes a special kind of delicacy to write songs like this, let alone place them amongst heavier metalcore anthems. (No Oasis) is an ethereal mid album break – a good example of how deep UNDEROATH searched for inspiration within the recording process. It’s a haunting excerpt that almost borders on noir jazz as drums gently flicker off beat behind whispered vocals. The band would say that this is a part of their “organic filter,” their stubborn determination to leave no stone unturned. Take A Breath again stands unique; bigger, more brash yet once again a well executed chapter in what is by now clearly the most diverse segment of the band’s career. We’re All Gonna Die is written on similar lines before Numb kicks in with brooding electronics to once again steer the tiller and change course. Here deep synths provide a delicate adornment.
Closing track Pneumonia deserves a paragraph all to itself. This is UNDEROATH‘s masterpiece. Over seven minutes long and largely spent in brooding ambience, it takes elements of ambient drone and post metal to create the kind of music that you simply don’t find on post-hardcore albums. Yet here it is, and as the crescendo starts to build it sets the stage for a truly phenomenal finale like a pressure cooker. The final minute unleashes all of that palpable energy and explodes in a supernova of ground shaking magnitude. And just like that it’s over. Time to hit repeat.
UNDEROATH claim that this is their most ambitious and diverse album to date. If anything that is an understatement. Voyeurist is their defining moment, their seminal hors d’oeuvre that will not only re-establish them as one of the most prolific bands on the modern circuit, but will be revered for its artistic merit. Let those eyebrows be raised and let the critics pull it apart, this album is a work of art and those that can learn to appreciate it will bask in its spellbinding colour.
Rating: 8/10
Voyeurist is set for release on January 14th via Fearless Records.
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