Album Review: Underoath - 'Survive, Kaleidoscope'

CD:

It’s hard to find anything not to like about this album. It’s basically ‘Define The Great Line’ with a few tracks from ‘They’re Only Chasing Safety’ and whilst you could spend all day (I’m sure they spent many days in fact) arguing about which tracks should and shouldn’t have been included, suffice to say most, if not all of your favourites are here. 

A big part of being a good band is stage presence and as such I tend to look for some good on-stage banter from whatever band I’m seeing live. That extends to live albums and this is perhaps the only factor lacking in Survive Kaleidoscope. Apart from the odd “Make some noise!” and “Ok this is our last song” (strangely at the beginning of track 9 on this 12 track album). I attribute this to the fact that the songs are actually a mish-mash of various shows on the tour, rather than the one solid set. There are however, some cool bits where they let the crowd just sing and you will find yourself singing along too without even realizing it. 

Live albums can also often reveal weaknesses in a bands performance that would otherwise be ‘smoothed over’ by the producer in a studio setting. There have been a few times where I’ve heard a live album and the vocalist is not on song like they are on studio albums but I’m glad to say that Spencer , Aaron and even Tim have no worries in that regard. 

DVD:

The DVD seems to flow a bit better and that has a lot to do with the fact that the CD full of tracks recorded at all different shows on their US tour, whereas the DVD is clearly one live set in it’s entirety.  

Two thousand people packed ‘The Electric Factory’ in Philadelphia for this show , which I thought was a pretty big crowd for an Underoath show. That was until Spencer thanked the bands that played before them, namely Every Time I Die and Poison The Well. That’s where your two thousand heads came from. What a brilliant bill! 

As far as set-lists go, I was pretty pleased with the way they organized the show and how it flowed. The only really notable exclusion was ‘Reinventing Your Exit’ from ‘They’re Only Chasing Safety’ but as I’ve already mentioned there’s no point quibbling about the track listing. 

Essentially, you see the show that the crowd there on the night saw. The footage itself is well produced and the sound quality is also good, there are even arty clips with people wearing animal masks running around in the forest just to add that touch of class. Plenty of cameras were used so the angles and shots don’t get too boring or repetitive, however I would’ve liked to see at least a bit of the backstage action, like before and after the show and before the encore. 

The band show good energy on stage, with more banter than can be found on the CD (once again to be attributed to the continuity of a single show). Not really any preaching which is always a positive, but there is a lot of spitting going on.  I guess you can’t expect them to get too physical on stage, with six of them up there it’s pretty cramped. 

Highlights include the instrumental intro to ‘Casting Such A Thin Shadow’ with Spencer playing the third guitar. Very cool. Check out the way Spencer dances, hilarious! Also borderline funny is the way Chris goes off at the keyboard, how he can throw himself around like that and still play properly is beyond me. Tim occasionally channels Jimi Hendrix on lead guitar with the whole ‘on-the-knees-back-arched’ pose which is pretty cool, and Aaron’s short shorts he wears as he’s hidden behind the drum-kit are worth a chuckle too.

If you’re an Underoath fan, you should already own this. If you’ve been thinking about buying it but are concerned about the fact that you already have all the songs on the previous two CD’s, don’t be. It’s a VERY necessary inclusion to any good CD collection. If you’re going to see them on tour over the next the month, watch and listen to this and prepare to get pumped! It will definitely whet the appetite.

CD:

1. Returning Empty Handed
2. In Regards To Myself
3. It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door
4. You’re Ever So Inviting
5. To Whom It May Concern
6. A Moment Suspended In Time
7. Young And Aspiring
8. Writing On The Walls
9. Everyone Looks So Good From Here
10. Casting Such A Thin Shadow
11. Moving For The Sake Of Motion
12. A Boy Brushed Red, Living In Black And White

1. Intro (Salmarnir)
2. Returning Empty Handed
3. In Regards To Myself
4. It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door
5. You’re Ever So Inviting
6. To Whom It May Concern
7. A Moment Suspended In Time
8. Young And Aspiring
9. There Could Be Nothing After This
10. Writing On The Walls
11. Everyone Looks So Good From Here
12. Casting Such A Thin Shadow
13. Moving For The Sake Of Motion
14. A Boy Brushed Red, Living In Black And White