Cries of the Past

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Underoath chronology
Cries Of The Past

Studio album by Underoath
Released	July 4, 2000
Recorded	Wisner Productions
Genre	Melodic death metal Length = 42:49
Label	Takehold Records
Producer(s)	James Paul Wisner
Act of Depression (1999)	Cries of The Past (2000)	The Changing of Times (2002)

Cries Of The Past is a melodic death metal album written and performed by Underoath. It is the second record by the band. The album was released on July 4, 2000 through Takehold Records. Only 2,000 copies of the album were pressed, and it is currently out of print. The second and third song are out of order from the list on the jacket, with "Giving Up Hurts the Most" as the actual second track.

[edit] Review

Much in the vein of Underoath's heralded debut "Act Of Depression", "Cries Of The Past" firmly sits in the Underoath discography as one of the band's heaviest outings. And compared to their prior release, this is really when Underoath became something special. Now to put aside all the constant bickering which older fans and newer fans engage in (most of which is childish) and concentrate on the album for what it's worth, this is probably one of the best Christian metal or hardcore cds that's come out in the last 6 years or so. It's no wonder that Underoath is rightfully one of the biggest band in the huge Christian metal/hardcore movement that's sweeping the nation; listen to any of their recordings and it's easy to see why. "Cries of the Past" is where UO really took off, and from here they would only go up.

Much like Underoath's debut album, at first glance "Cries Of The Past" looks like a typical EP. Only five songs. However upon examinining the run time, you quickly learn that this is basically a full length. Clocking in at 42:51, COTP definitely shows the gifted song-writing ability the band was already displaying at a young age. All the songs are 7+ minutes long, and are excellent musical compositions in and of themselves. The tracks are extremely progressive in that there's no repeated parts or hooks, and the band trys more to capture your attention rather than saturating their music with catchy choruses. The acquisition of Chris Dudley on keyboards and Matt Clark on bass (Octavio Fernandez moving to full time second guitarist) is what really makes a difference between this and the last cd though. Dudley's keyboards are the perfect accent for the often blistering atmosphere the band creates with one another, and now all the songs have a certain sonic feel to them, which gives Underoath a sound all their own. With Matt Clark on bass, Octavio and lead guitarist Corey Steger are free to trade off licks, and put together some of the most intense riffs the band has ever written on pieces like "Giving Up Hurts The Most" and the title track. Aaron's drumming also shines as it is far more technical and engaging (lots of creative fills and plenty of double bass) than it seems to be now. Dallas of course fronts the band in stellar fashion and his voice is relentless. He can shriek with the best of them, and he can also turn out some devilish growls that hold up next to any other singer out there. In fact this is the best his vocals sound on any Underoath recording he appeared on. Their raw and passionate and are just as cutting as the music.

The biggest thing that makes this cd such a gratifying listen though is that every song is so engaging. "Giving Up Hurts The Most" and "Cries Of The Past" are two of the heaviest tracks the band has produced to date, and is a good representation of where Underoath was at the time. The first and third tracks, "The Last" and "Walking Away" are both stone-cold classics, and deserve a place at any Underoath live show, although that probably isn't going to happen ever. And the album epic "And I Dreamt of You", which runs well over the 11 minute mark (11:23 to be exact) is nothing short of amazing. One listen to any of these tracks and anyone who is an unbeliever about these guys will be instantly converted. Even if this isn't what they sound like anymore. Nothing can take away from the sheer technicality and craft that was used to write any of these songs. There's breakdowns all over the place, a vocalist that commands your attention, guitar riffs that are melodic, yet heavy and technical at the same time, and drumming that is on the level of any band in the same field. What more could you ask for?

"Cries Of The Past" is in all rights probably Underoath's best recording. Now that will of course depend on your own opinion, and what kind of music your into, so take that with a grain of salt. Even though it's far different from the band's style today, they're still making great music, so I won't complain. If you're a fan of Underoath, old or new, I'd recommend checking into this release immediately. Downloading is probably your best bet, since these are pretty scarce. Those which are available are running for $188 or so, which is quite ridiculous. Don't let yourself get taken advantage of. Overall one of the best Christian metal/hardcore albums that money can buy, and probably the band's best release. Definitely a must for completists and casual fans alike.

[edit] Track listing

"The Last " – 7:41
"Giving Up Hurts the Most" – 7:46
"Walking Away" – 7:36
"And I Dreamt Of You" – 11:23
"Cries Of The Past" – 8:23

[edit] Personnel

Dallas Taylor – lead vocals
Octavio Fernandez – guitars
Aaron Gillespie – drums
Corey Steger – guitars/vocals
Chris Dudley – keyboards
Matt Clark - bass
James Paul Wisner - Producer
All music written by Underoath

Underoath
Spencer Chamberlain – Aaron Gillespie – Timothy McTague – Christopher Dudley – Grant Brandell - James Smith
Discography
Albums: Act of Depression – Cries of the Past – The Changing of Times – They're Only Chasing Safety – They're Only Chasing Safety (Special Edition) – Define the Great Line