Facing forward, sinking in thin air...
Posted August 16, 2009
By veritas,
...help me learn to breathe again
After hearing Define the Great Line, I was sure that no Underoath album would appeal to me as much as They're Only Chasing Safety had. While most of my friends enjoyed DtGL more, I was left on the sidelines... with the exception of a couple favorites, I never enjoyed the whole album. I knew the tone for Lost in the Sound of Separation would be roughly similar judging by Desperate Times, Desperate Measures and anticipated finding a few songs that I loved while struggling to get through the rest. Boy, was I ever wrong.
There is a new level of depth here that surpasses any other Underoath album. The musical patterns are unique and several tracks depart from the standard "verse (screams) - chorus (singing) - verse (screams) - chorus (singing) - bridge - chorus, etc." pattern. Spencer's growls are more vicious and guttural than any previous album that he's been a part of, making the interplay between his screams and Aaron's harmonies all that much stronger.
And then there is the lyrics. Wow. This is one of those albums that I could start writing about the lyrics and just not stop until I had quoted the entire CD booklet. I am incredibly proud of the band for their representation of God... ten of the eleven songs reference Him, most of them directly by name and not just the ambiguous "You" which is all too prominent in most music of this nature today. More important to me however, is the context of these references.
The prominent theme running through the album is the constant cycle of being caught up in sin, struggling to break free from that sin, and finding relief and refuge... only to later fall back into that sin. They deal not only with the depression of the struggle itself, but also the all-too-familiar burden of knowing that they have failed God in the process.
Repeat, repeat / Repent and repeat... The cycle never really ends... This is how it seems to be / I've drowned myself in self-regret / This is how I want to be / This cannot be how I want to be
It's been dancing around in my head for quite some time / Just the thought of cleaning up myself... It's all been a blur and nothing will change... I was lying / This is defeat... How could this be real? / I've failed You
Anyone who's lived long enough on this earth has either experienced that or seen others go through it and can closely sympathize with it. It is a theme (wanting to get over something and falling back into repeatedly) that strongly appeals to non-Christians as well... and while Underoath never attempts to beat anyone over the head with it, they constantly reference God as their ultimate saving grace and redemption.
I'm the desperate and You're the Savior.
I am the one who's wrong... God forgive me
I hate that I'm questioning You're everything
The floors are shaking and we've lost our step / Oh Lord have mercy on us all
Clean me up, show me how to live / Tear me down, Let me start again
You said there was nothing left down here / Well, I roamed the wasteland... I swear I found something / I found hope, I found God
Lost in the Sound of Separation delivers a poignant message, wrapped in a package of screaming and singing that will appeal to some and turn away others... but rest assured, this is Underoath at their best.
My Highlights: The Created Void, A Fault Line A Fault of Mine, Too Bright to See Too Loud to Hear
It's all in my head, if You want, You can look inside
There's nothing but red and all the mess I've been
It's all in the way I say what I don't mean and mean what I don't
I need to speak of You and what is real View All Music And Book Reviews By veritas | View veritas's Profile
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