Three albums into their career Underoath was at somewhat of a cross roads. Their first three records had received limited commercial success, and following the departure of then lead vocalist and band co-founder Dallas Taylor (who went on to form the excellent Southern heavy metal band Maylene and the Sons of Disaster), they had to rebuild effectively from scratch. The band replaced half of its members, added lead vocalist Spencer Chamberlain, and transformed their Christian metalcore roots into a more melodic hardcore and screamo sound.
The result? An absolutely stellar record in They’re Only Chasing Safety that took the group to new heights and solidified their place as screamo stalwarts for the millennial generation. Chamberlain’s vocals on this record are nothing short of sublime, his guttural bellows coming from a depth within him that hits you directly in the chest and sticks. Contrasted with the crystal clean vocals of Aaron Gillespie (who also covers drums on this record) and you had a real recipe for success– considering the band’s Christian roots, there feels like a real heaven and hell dynamic throughout the entire record that encompasses the struggle of faith and finding your path. I’m unclear if this was a conscious choice or not, but man does it ever work.
The rest of the band absolutely crushes their performances as well. Guitarists Timothy McTague and James Smith weave together an effective interplay befitting the work of the aforementioned vocal performance of Chamberlain and Gillespie. The guitars are heavy as all hell but make space for melody in nearly every song– the dynamics here provided a blueprint for nearly every screamo band that came afterwards. Bassist Grant Brandell primarily provides the low end without venturing into more of a support role, which works due to the textural work of keyboardist Christopher Dudley who adds interesting little elements along the way that broaden out the work.
Even 20 years after blasting this album with my friends after school during the entirety of junior year it still hits hard. They’re Only Chasing Safety doesn’t have a bad song on the entire album. It’s a screamo masterpiece.
Standout Songs: “A Boy Brushed Red Living In Black and White”, “Reinventing Your Exit”, “I’m Content With Losing”, “It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door”
