By: Tyler Barnes
Hardcore emo and metal outfit, Underoath, are BACK! Two years on from the release of their most recent album, 2022’s Voyeurist, the band has had more eyes on them than usual lately, due to their unforgettable collaboration with Bring Me The Horizon on, ‘a bulleT w/ my namE On.’ Underoath’s feature offered one of their most feral performances and was very reminiscent of their older records, both instrumentally and vocally. After such a performance, many people became interested in what the band would do next, and they gained a horde of new fans who were unfamiliar with them prior to the collaboration. Come September 13th, when they finally take advantage of the momentum by releasing a brand new song. “Teeth,” to many fans, is unlike anything they’ve heard from the band before. The track is comparable to other ‘electronicore bands, such Electric Callboy or Enter Shikari, particularly in its verses and pre-chorus.
“Teeth” opens on a fragmented and distorted melody, immediately surprising the listener with something different compared to Underoath’s previous material. The verses have a standard, but catchy drum n bass rhythm with a faint piano building the track’s atmosphere, as vocalist Spencer Chamberlain breathes details of betrayal whilst being completely powerless. The piano comes further into the mix as Aaron Gillespie sings the pre-chorus, describing that same traitor through an animalistic lens, as they figuratively rip bits of flesh from Spencer. Aaron asks, between the taste of flesh and blood, what the lies taste like as they tell them. This question leads into the song’s compressed, heavy ‘metalcore’ hook, filled with traditional distorted electronics, pummeling drums, and menacing riffs. This form’s the song’s general structure, but as it continues, the track becomes more aggressive, introducing growls and screams from both vocalists during the final chorus.
Naturally, after collaborating with Bring Me The Horizon, some fans found themselves confused by the new sonic direction, going as far as to incorrectly blame that collaboration for influencing the sudden change in sound. On platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, people have voiced their complaints and concerns about this new style for the band, but in the music video’s comments section on YouTube, fans have shown support for the new direction, even being pleasantly surprised by it. While the reception from the band’s fanbase has been rather mixed, it is clear that Underoath are aiming to create something new and innovative within the context of their craft, while keeping their roots as a metal act intact.
(Listen to ‘Teeth’ here)
