This is one of the best Christian albums released in the 2000s (2004 to be exact) - from one of the best bands of the same era. By far it is the best album the band has released as far as I'm concerned - or will every release since their drummer, Aaron Gillespe left the band last year.
I don't know why someone didn't figure it out but one of this band's greatest strengths is the incredible combination of screamo vocals (sung by vocalist Spencer Chamberlain) and melody (sung by the drummer Aaron Gillespe), because this is really the only UO album that features an even mix of both. My guess is that to sing melody and play the type of intense percussion that Aaron does in UO has to be extremely difficult live - so I would imagine that was taken into account when they wrote future songs.
But man!! - there is just something about this album that is timeless and that really touches me every time I listen to it. I think it will be an album that stands the test of time. I'm amazed when I hear my 18 year old son and his friends listening to this album and singing all of the songs. It is a real testament to this album that kids are still buying it and relating to it. I wish it would have been out when I was 18!
Okay - this is some really unique music and I think a lot of folks my age may not appreciate it the way I do - but I bet that a good three or four listens to this album would sway some folks from my generation to like it. These are some very talented musicians - of whom the drummer is by far the most talented - he's written most of the music and lyrics for the album.
Let me go out on a limb here and say one reason that I personally like this album so much is that it combines elements from all of the music that I loved in the 80s into one genre. The kids today call it screamo - and although UO certainly fits that category you can't say that about this album. When I hear this album I hear The Cure, The Smiths, Guns and Roses, Janes Addiction, Sucidal Tendencies, and The Cult all wrapped into one band. That may sound like a strange combination - but that's what makes this album so special - these guys pull it off into something awesome and unique. I only wish they could have followed this album up with future albums that were just as good - but the limited melody vocals really took away from what makes UO special in future albums.
I don't know why someone didn't figure it out but one of this band's greatest strengths is the incredible combination of screamo vocals (sung by vocalist Spencer Chamberlain) and melody (sung by the drummer Aaron Gillespe), because this is really the only UO album that features an even mix of both. My guess is that to sing melody and play the type of intense percussion that Aaron does in UO has to be extremely difficult live - so I would imagine that was taken into account when they wrote future songs.
But man!! - there is just something about this album that is timeless and that really touches me every time I listen to it. I think it will be an album that stands the test of time. I'm amazed when I hear my 18 year old son and his friends listening to this album and singing all of the songs. It is a real testament to this album that kids are still buying it and relating to it. I wish it would have been out when I was 18!
Okay - this is some really unique music and I think a lot of folks my age may not appreciate it the way I do - but I bet that a good three or four listens to this album would sway some folks from my generation to like it. These are some very talented musicians - of whom the drummer is by far the most talented - he's written most of the music and lyrics for the album.
Let me go out on a limb here and say one reason that I personally like this album so much is that it combines elements from all of the music that I loved in the 80s into one genre. The kids today call it screamo - and although UO certainly fits that category you can't say that about this album. When I hear this album I hear The Cure, The Smiths, Guns and Roses, Janes Addiction, Sucidal Tendencies, and The Cult all wrapped into one band. That may sound like a strange combination - but that's what makes this album so special - these guys pull it off into something awesome and unique. I only wish they could have followed this album up with future albums that were just as good - but the limited melody vocals really took away from what makes UO special in future albums.
