Reviews list for Underoath - The Place After This One (2025)

The Place After This One can be considered Underoath's very own Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit. It's their 10th album and the one where they take on more of an alt-/industrial metal sound. This is where the band adds in more electronic experimentation than before, taking some cues from bands such as The Prodigy and early 2010s Linkin Park, signifying a new future for the band.

Don't worry, longtime Underoath fans! You can still hear some of the melodic catchiness of They're Only Chasing Safety and Define the Great Line, along with the anthemic metalcore of their subsequent albums. All in solid bangers, though there are a couple disappointing tracks...

Kicking off the action right away is "Generation No Surrender" which attacks with lead vocalist Spencer Chamberlain's frantic screams. It's practically like their late 2000s era on steroids, especially in the riff-wrath. Everything sounds so fresh and natural, staying true to what you remember them to be. "Devil" comes up next with electro-industrial synths by longtime keyboardist Chris Dudley, almost heading into trancecore territory with his synths and the guitarwork. Drummer Aaron Gillespie sings his wonderful cleans to remind you about the band's fresh unique sound. The chaos doesn't end there, as "Loss" blends hardcore screams with melodic cleans, alongside fast drumming speed. After those 3 tracks, "Survivor's Guilt" keeps up the anthemic streak, more melodic in the chorus while going wild in the verses.

Another trance-y track "All the Love is Gone" has more experimentation on their plate. The vocals rise slowly in intensity in the first verse, letting out all this energy in the chorus. It all leads up to a fist-pumping breakdown in the bridge. The more formulaic "And Then There Was Nothing" still has something, with nothing but guitar/vocal aggression. However, I feel like it could've extended with some melodic sections to make it a more balanced killer banger. Really pulling my leg is "Teeth" which really shows something different. It grabs my attention but in a bad way. Choppy glitch-hop just isn't my thing. Fortunately, the boost of heaviness at the end saves that track from being a total sh*tter. What can really get the live crowd dancing and headbanging is "Shame", a big highlight with cinematic electronics. The riffs and vocals will make you jump along to the beat. The synths and guitars are in such a sweet blend.

The blazing "Spinning in Place" is like a better more electronic take on one of the weaker songs from Define the Great Line. The rapid pace isn't that bad, but seems kinda like rushed towards the end, another short track that should've been extended for better closure. One of the band's most industrial highlights yet, "Vultures" is a killer track that can really punch its way to Hell and back. The ethereal leads grab my attention as much as the heavy chorus, "How’s it feel now that you circle with the Vultures?!" The chorus isn't the only massive hooker here. We also have the dark heavy bridge featuring Troy Sanders of Mastodon and his gritty singing. Truly a "take no sh*t" kind of highlight. Next, "Cannibal" continues switching between heavy and melodic. The vocals in the chorus are quite huge, though the drop into a soft bridge kinda breaks the flow. Still I love that harmonic vocal power, "CANNIBAL!!!!" Final track "Outsider" marks the grand end of the journey. Aaron Gillespie sings solo in this track, and that helps it being an easy track to end with. The perfect way out, with more to expect in the future!

The Place After This One is a strong transition from the past to the future for the most part. While a few odd tracks may bring this album down to almost average status, Underoath still have their boundary-pushing passion in album #10. The keyboards really take the frontstage without losing much of the riff variation. The screams and cleans are in great balance, adding cool effects without damaging the vibe. If two or 3 songs from the middle of the album were slightly improved though, the quality would be much larger. With such powerful compositions, Underoath has never ceased to amaze the world. We don't know what will come next after this, but I can't wait....

Favorites: "Generation No Surrender", "Survivor's Guilt", "All the Love is Gone", "Shame", "Vultures", "Outsider"