DATE: JUNE 28, 2006
FROM: LIBBY HENRY/KRISTINE ASHTON-MAGNUSON
UNDERØATH
DEBUT ON BILLBOARD TOP 200 ALBUMS CHART AT #2
WITH ‘DEFINE THE GREAT LINE’;
BAND TOURS NORTH AMERICA AS MAIN STAGE HEADLINER
ON VANS WARPED TOUR THIS SUMMER
It is one of the year’s big rock breakthroughs.
The explosive UNDERØATH–who “construct dense, chaotic metal-core that emphasizes the struggle inherent in faith” (Spin, July 2006)–have entered the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart at #2 with over 97,000 copies sold of their newly released and much-anticipated DEFINE THE GREAT LINE album, available in regular and special editions. The special edition version of DEFINE THE GREAT LINE includes an 8-panel digi-pak with booklet, exclusive artwork and bonus DVD with behind the scenes, in studio and making of the album footage. The album marks the genre-defying band’s third disc to be released on Seattle indie Tooth & Nail/Solid State Records.
The Billboard chart debut comes on the heels of UNDERØATH’s 350,000-selling 2004 indie smash They’re Only Chasing Safety. They’ve solidly built their fan base from incessant touring and their unrelentingly intense live shows, establishing an unbreakable bond with their fans. “We’ve always been guided by our artistic spirit–you’ve got to stay fearless–and the encouragement and support we’ve received from our fans. They’re rabid, and we’re proud of them!”
Crafted with the help of Atlanta-based producer/drummer Matt Goldman–who helped pour the rhythmic foundation–and Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, DEFINE THE GREAT LINE is a mind-blowing and cohesive album. While marking an artistically dark turn for the band, it remains undeniably accessible.
MTV2 has added UNDERØATH’s surrealistic video for their first single “Writing On The Walls” to “Elite 8,” the channel’s highest rotation spot and the clip is also in rotation at Fuse. Meanwhile, the single impacts Modern Rock and Active Rock radio this week.
Here’s a sample of some of the early critical acclaim for DEFINE THE GREAT LINE:
“…Underoath construct dense, chaotic metal-core that emphasizes the struggle inherent in faith. The band’s fourth album adds an extra dose of melody to the dual-guitar, scream-and-sing attack; the longer tracks (one stretches to seven minutes) are positively pretty.”
–Nick Catucci, SPIN, July 2006, CD Review
"This album will steamroll the sales of Underoath's debut, They're Only Chasing Safety.
–Clover Hoperista L. Titus, Billboard.com, June 27, 2006
“Define The Great Line, co-produced by ubiquitous screamocore mogul Adam Dutkiewicz, is thus heavy, punchy and angular…and inventive too, from the crackling electro-synth smatterings of ‘There Could Be Nothing After This’ and the big fat Neurosis vibe of ‘Returning Empty Handed’ to the Cave In post-rock slice of ‘Casting Such A Thin Shadow.”
–Daniel Lukes, Decibel, July 2006 (CD Review, 7/10 Rating)
“Define The Great Line is like one harsh line in the sand that dares its audience to embrace the band on its own terms. I count not one contrived note. This album is chock full of authentic, gritty, metal/rock.
–Doug Van Pelt, HM Magazine, July/August 2006 (CD review 4/4 Rating)
“Define The Great Line is undoubtedly a record that shows how masterfully a band can be both delicate and brutal…Define is marked with more personal battles and surrounds themes of identity, fear and repentance. Without a doubt, this album will be talked about for years to come.”
–Gabe Gross, AbsolutePunk.net, June 20, 2006 (CD review 9.6/10 Rating)
Catch UNDERØATH–lead vocalist SPENCER CHAMBERLAIN, guitarist TIM MCTAGUE, bassist GRANT BRANDELL, drummer AARON GILLESPIE, keyboardist CHRISTOPHER DUDLEY and guitarist JAMES SMITH–on tour as a main stage headliner on this summer’s Vans Warped Tour (see tour dates below). And this September, look for UNDEROATH to tour Central and South America, including Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Columbia, Chile and Brazil. Later that month, they’ll tour Canada with Silverstein, Moneen and He Is Legend supporting. In October and November, UNDEROATH will join Taking back Sunday, Thursday, Anti-Flag, Senses Fail, Saosin and Parkway Drive on the Taste Of Chaos International Tour, with shows in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Europe (Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Denmark and the United Kingdom).
By the end of July 2006, DEFINE THE GREAT LINE will also be released in 31 additional territories around the world: Arabia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom and Venezuela.
Current tour dates on the Vans Warped Tour are as follows:
Date City Venue
Wed 6/28 Atlanta, GA Hi Fi Amphitheatre Lot
Fri 6/30 Houston, TX Reliant Center
Sat 7/1 Dallas, TX Smirnoff Music Center Lot
Sun 7/2 San Antonio, TX Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Lot
Mon 7/3 Las Cruces, NM N.M.S.U Practice Field
Wed 7/5 Bushnell, IL Cornerstone Festival (Non VWT date)
Thu 7/6 San Diego, CA Coors Amphitheatre
Fri 7/7 Pomona, CA Fairplex Park
Sat 7/8 San Francisco, CA Pier 30/32
Sun 7/9 Fresno, CA Save Mart Arena
Tue 7/11 Ventura, CA Seaside Park
Wed 7/12 Los Angeles, CA Dodger Stadium Lot
Thu 7/13 Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre Lot
Fri 7/14 Boise, ID Treasure Valley Speedway
Sat 7/15 Seattle, WA Gorge Amphitheatre
Sun 7/16 Portland, OR Columbia Meadows
Tue 7/18 Vancouver, BC Thunderbird Stadium
Thu 7/20 Calgary, ALB Race City Speedway
Sat 7/22 Salt Lake City, UT Utah State Fairgrounds
Sun 7/23 Denver, CO Invesco Field
Tue 7/25 St. Louis, MO UMB Bank Pavilion
Wed 7/26 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
Thu 7/27 Pittsburgh, PA Post Gazette Pavilion
Fri 7/28 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Lot
Sat 7/29 Detroit, MI Comerica Park
Sun 7/30 Chicago, IL Tweeter Center
Tue 8/1 Buffalo, NY Darien Lakes Fields
Wed 8/2 Fitchburg, MA Fitchburg Airport
Thu 8/3 Camden, NJ Tweeter Center @ the Waterfront
Fri 8/4 Scranton, PA Montage Mountain
Sat 8/5 New York, NY Nassau Coliseum
Sun 8/6 Old Bridge, NJ Englishtown Raceway
Tue 8/8 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Lot
Wed 8/9 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Lot
Thu 8/10 Washington, DC Nissan Pavilion Lot
Fri 8/11 Cleveland, OH Tower City
Sat 8/12 Toronto, ONT Park Place
Sun 8/13 Montreal, QUE Park Jean Drapeau
For UNDERØATH publicity, contact MSO:
Libby Henry 818-380-0400 ext. 224
Kristine Ashton-Magnuson 818-380-0400 ext. 233
Brandis DeZon (tour press) 818-380-0400 ext. 241