Filling the void of the live music experience and challenging the potential of all a live show could be, Underoath announced their Observatory series. The band will broadcast three live shows from a secret location. Each week will feature a new show and a new set dedicated entirely to one specific album showcasing a different era of the band.
The first week in the series steers it's focus to the seminal work of the band's Lost In the Sound of Separation. Bookending the first chapter of Underoath, the record would be the last with Aaron Gillespie on drums for a decade punctuating a succession of releases that had catapulted the band to among the elite of their genre.
Ahead of Friday's performance of the record in full, the band's frontman Spencer Chamberlain took some time to reflect on the era and the impact the record had on the band, the fans, and the culture.
What was the song from Lost In the Sound of Separation that made you most excited about the record?
Chamberlain - At the time I remember being really excited about "Emergency Broadcast :: The End is Near." That song came together at the end of us being in the studio. It was a bunch of riffs I had that made up the beginning of the song. The end of the song was a bunch of riffs Tim had. When it all came together I was pretty pumped, then Aaron had this drum idea. We had two drum tracks split in stereo with the drum fills being different but complimenting one another. It was wild. When I heard the song I was like, 'Damn this is the song.' I knew that it would be one to play live; so much going on the track.
What is a tour story from that era that has stuck with you since?
Chamberlain - I remember playing at Mayhem right when or right before the album came out and going to the hospital from getting cut up pretty bad by Tim’s guitar. I lost a decent amount of blood, got some stitches and had to wear this weird hand cast type thing. The headlining tour for Lost in the Sound of Separation with Saosin, The Devil Wears Prada and POS was pretty unforgettable as well; the friendships we made and the shows and all of it.
What was the most memorable show during that album cycle?
Chamberlain - Maybe when we toured South Africa. All those shows I’ll never forget. Cape Town was one for the books.
Where do you feel LITSoS ranks among the Underoath catalog?
Chamberlain - I look at underøath as the first chapter (03-2013) and the second chapter which is post breakup (2016 - the future). I think in our first chapter of this band Lost in the Sound of Separation is the album. We were teens/early 20s trying to figure out what to do when we recorded They’re Only Chasing Safety. We found ourselves a bit and explored where we could go with Define The Great Line. With Lost in the Sound of Separation, we actually knew exactly what we wanted to do.
What song did you not play from this record typically that you are most excited to play now that you are doing the album in full?
Chamberlain - "Coming Down is Calming Down"
Up to that point, what was the definitive moment for Underoath as a band?
Chamberlain - I don’t know really. The entire thing has seemed to have been nonstop from 03-13 All of it to me has been equally as important, the lows the highs and everything in between.
Are there any regrets associated with Lost in the Sound of Separation?
Chamberlain - No, absolutely not. We all look back and say we can do things better now but that’s what it is to be an always evolving and improving artist. We learn from everything we do and see. I look back at my older albums and know we did the best we possibly could at that particular time in our lives, I don’t regret any of it. I do think we do things a lot smarter and better now. We’ve all grown so much as musicians/singers/writers but I wouldn’t change the past. I’m proud of everything we’ve done.
