The latest metal-core starts off with a truly unique twist--synthesizers. The addition of a full time keyboard player to the Underoath lineup provides a breath of fresh air to a style that is slowly becoming redundant. When a band decides to write good quality music, the results can be thoroughly enjoyable. That takes a lot of effort, and if a band is willing to put forth that effort, it pays off big time. The pop undertones of this disc hooked me every bit as much as the screaming did. A song such as "When the Sun Sleeps" is much more focused on elements of melody and rhythm rather than just tearing your head off with sound. Only two tracks later, "A Message For Adrienne" dispels any misgivings that the band has gone soft. Nearly the entire song pounds the head with that metal trademark of double bass drumming and distortion.
There is an element of emo thrown in for good measure, mostly in the "clean" vocals and the titles of the songs, but not enough of an element to be unlikable. The way these Florida boys put together a plateful of hardcore is enough to make a lot of mouths water. If you are any kind of hardcore fan, do yourself a favor and buy this album. You won't regret it.
Other coverage for this album
Decapolis April 2002Reviewed by Nate BaileyUnderoath has been around for about the last four years, signed for most of that time to Takehold Records. This album, "The Changing of Times," is their first release with Solid State Records. I've heard people talking about Underoath for a while now, but never took the time to listen. I must admit I wrote them off as yet another mediocre Christian hardcore band copying everyone else.…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Megan LenzPledging to make a record only to satisfy themselves (and not any one musical scene), Underoath has put out The Changing of Times, a record that serves metalcore and punk, but fails to put a spike on the delivery. The Changing of Times has many of the ingredients needed for an excellent album, but it doesn't quite crystallize into something compelling. Underoath takes an armload of fairly…Similar sounding releases
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