It feels reasonably acceptable – poetic, even – that Spencer Chamberlain is in transit in the course of this interview. The Underoath vocalist is sitting on the band’s tour bus because it’s driving them to the discharge present for his or her 10th full-length album, The Place After This One. He’s perched on one in every of its benches, so there are glimpses of town by the window behind him because the car makes its approach by, nearly as if it’s town, and never the bus, transferring. Spencer is, understandably, a little discombobulated at first. The band have been simply on tour in Australia with Alexisonfire, and obtained caught there for a few further days afterwards due to a storm. That they had a day and a half off, after which jumped straight onto this U.S. tour with Papa Roach and Rise Towards that can final a couple of month. There may be, it appears, actually no relaxation for the weary, simply fixed movement from one second, minute, hour, day, week, yr and place to the subsequent.
That’s why it feels so acceptable that Spencer is within the means of going someplace whereas speaking concerning the new Underoath document. Earlier than, once they have been nonetheless a religious Christian band, a title like The Place After This One would robotically recommend Heaven – or Hell. Some type of afterlife, both approach. As of late, it actually simply means no matter (and wherever) comes after this very second in time – in addition to all of the uncertainty that comes with that.
“The title got here up earlier than we wrote a lot of the songs,” he explains, “nevertheless it is open-ended in that approach. You can be speaking about life after dying, however you may be speaking about life after this this bus experience. You by no means know what’s subsequent. What’s after Underoath? Is there life after Underoath? Will we do that till we’re too previous to stroll? Are we’re we going to be onstage like The Rolling Stones, you already know what I imply?”
These type of questions, Spencer says, have at all times been a a part of Underoath, courting again to when the band first began in Tampa, Florida in 1997. It’s simply that the context has modified. At first, they believed that they had God on their facet, then they weren’t so certain, and now they undoubtedly don’t suppose that’s the case. However these profound existential concepts have remained a fixed all through.
“These ideas are wrapped up in our entire profession,” he continues. “This band has at all times been getting ready to breaking apart, and we’ve already damaged up as soon as. We’re happier and more healthy than we’ve ever been now, however you at all times should surprise what’s subsequent. None of us know. And is it even price worrying about? As a result of you’ll be able to’t management it. You’re accountable for your self, however that’s about it. You can be driving to the shop tomorrow and a drunk driver hits you – you’re not behind his wheel, you’re solely behind yours.”
It’s acceptable, then, that Spencer is on the transfer as he delivers that morbid analogy, as a result of it’s a excellent metaphor for the way life – and life in a band – isn’t static. Every little thing is at all times in a state of perpetual flux, as a result of that’s human nature. It could possibly additionally simply finish at any given second, once you least count on it. The songs on The Place After This One don’t simply handle these themes thematically, but additionally musically. Underoath have, in spite of everything, by no means been afraid to experiment and evolve, and The Place After This One is not any exception. Taking in and mixing the various completely different genres and types the band have explored through the years, it’s fraught and frantic and in-your-face, burning with an power and enthusiasm bands who’ve been collectively a fraction of the time they’ve typically battle to discover.
The massive distinction, although, is the circumstances that impressed these songs. For whereas this album continues to be asking questions – massive questions, profound questions, existential questions – Spencer says that is the primary document the place he appears like he’s truly made it by the traumas and troubles that impressed the songs earlier than writing them.
“Each album that I’ve ever been a a part of, no matter turmoil I was in, I was nonetheless in it and writing whereas I was in it, and type of treading water within the ship, so to talk,” he explains. “With this one, being on the opposite facet of the dangerous stuff that we have been writing about was a lot extra liberating and a lot extra sincere. I suppose there are some belongings you’re not prepared to speak about once you’re nonetheless in it, as a result of it’s onerous to confess or it’s embarrassing or no matter.”
It additionally means – for Spencer, and co-vocalist/lyricist Aaron Gillespie – this was truly an comparatively straightforward and painless (pun meant) album to write down. He’s adamant to level out that the trauma didn’t “simply go away”, however the perspective of distance each had with it when making this document however afforded them an uncommon and unfamiliar readability.
“While you’re within the storm, you’ll be able to describe the storm, however you’re actually making an attempt to get out of it – you’re freaking out, you’re pulling the sail in, you’re making an attempt to maintain the boat from capsizing,” he describes. “However when you get by the storm and get to the shore and look out at that ocean, you go, ‘Fuck, that was loopy.’ You can in all probability write a e book about that as a result of now you’re clear-headed. You’re secure. That’s type of the place I am, and the place Aaron is as properly. We’re in a great spot. I’m pleased with every part we’ve carried out, however you don’t at all times enter the studio in a actually great spot, and this time we have been. And that’s why I love this document so a lot.”
Don’t be fooled, although. Simply because he was (and is) in a great spot, it doesn’t imply he has the solutions to all these questions he was asking when writing these songs. He nonetheless doesn’t know what the longer term holds, or the place, in the end, the place after that is. Neither is he capable of cease questioning about it or asking questions that may by no means be answered.
“We’re not specialists,” Spencer chuckles. “We have been pretending to be specialists once we have been youngsters, and we weren’t. No one is aware of, proper? It simply begs extra questions. How will we reside with out that concern? How will we reside within the current? How will we disconnect and fear about proper now, and never who or what you’re seeing on the web or Instagram? And there are folks with anxiousness which might be actually frightened about tomorrow, and folks questioning how they’re going to pay their payments, or if their household is falling aside, or are in the event that they’re going to have most cancers in a few years. It’s one thing all of us cope with, and no-one has the solutions to any of it.”
He’s proper. No one is aware of what’s subsequent. Not within the long-term, anyway. However because the bus involves a halt and Spencer is ushered off, he is aware of the place the place instantly after this one is: onstage, to tear this impending album launch gig. Past that, it’s anyone’s guess. In spite of everything, the current vanishes as quickly because it arrives.
The Place After This One is launched March 28 by way of MNRK Heavy
Learn this subsequent:
Posted on March twenty seventh 2025, 5:00p.m.