CoC : Underoath - Cries of the Past : Review

Underoath - _Cries of the Past_
(Takehold Records, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (9.5 out of 10)

Crazy, crazy hardcore with a very direct black metal influence. Or is it the other way around? I could just as easily say that this is crazy, crazy black metal with hardcore leanings, because these upstarts have succeeded indeed when it comes to the game of obliterating lines between classifications of metal. Sometimes life is actually worth the living, and releases like this fan my flames to get through the day. Besides the fact that Underoath have pioneered a completely new sub-genre, let it be known that this CD is 42 minutes long but consists of only five songs, and therefore, the compositions consist of many different parts. Lightning-fast riffing leads into a melodic section that turns into a giant mosh riff as keyboards weigh heavy upon the soul, drums of doom keep it all in time and shrill black metal vocals scare any small children in the vicinity -- this is just an example of what a few minutes listening to one of these dark sagas would put you through. Amazing, really; as much as I am personally into black metal as well as hardcore (which from their typical respective viewpoints, would be two forms of music/lifestyles very opposed to one another), I never dreamt of melding the two, but I am extremely glad that these six young men did, and I believe that with this album they have done it with such creativity and style that fans of both genres would embrace them. You really must check this out, not only due to the novelty of it, but because these songs are good ones! Cradle of Filth meets Hatebreed -- gnarly!

Contact: Takehold Records, P.O. Box 19831, Birmingham AL 35219, USA

(article published 10/1/2001)

ALBUMS
12/4/2002	A McKay	8	Underoath - The Changing of Times