After the success of They’re Only Chasing Safety Underoath had a choice to make when recording their follow up album— double down on the polished pop screamo sound that made that album a cult classic, or further explore some of the metalcore aspects littering that album. They chose the latter and they were decisive, as if “explore” was a euphemism for “dove headfirst with no hesitation”. Recorded in Atlanta and co-produced by industry heavyweights Adam Dutkiewicz and Matt Goldman, Define the Great Line saw the band pushing their limits in both sound and subject matter, enveloping themselves in a brutally heavy intensity that only had a few vestiges of their former sound. It’s full of complex song structures, haunting atmospheres, and unpredictable rhythms, a deliberate departure from the pop-infused style of their previous work. Here, Underoath grappled with themes of faith, doubt, and personal struggle with an introspective urgency that simply sounded bad ass as hell.
The album became a defining moment in post-hardcore for me and my friends, bringing us deeper into the heavier side of post-hardcore (and causing us to blow out of voice more than once when singing in the car). By balancing brutal breakdowns with cinematic sweeps and cleaner, ambient passages, Underoath showed they could be both heavy and emotionally expansive without sacrificing intensity. For me it remains a powerful example of how daring sonic shifts can redefine a genre, as evidenced by the sheer chaos of that brutal opening guitar riff from “In Regards To Myself” that sets the tone from the opening salvo.
On a final note– there’s a super fun behind the scenes video on YouTube you can watch here that details the recording of Define The Great Line. It’s a fun watch for anyone who was a fan of this album.
Standout Songs: “In Regards To Myself”, “A Moment Suspended In Time”, “You’re Ever So Inviting”, “Returning Empty Handed”, “Casting Such A Thin Shadow”, “Writing On The Walls”
