Customer Reviews

Cries of the Past

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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 aquisition 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 two 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?

So basically a lot of fans will want to know if they are going to like it, especially fans newer to the band (probably started with "They're Only Chasing Safety"). And depending upon your taste in heavy music, that's probably an easy question to answer. "Cries Of The Past" definitely has a different style and sound from any of the releases the band has put out afterwards. If you are a fan of more extreme forms of metal and hardcore (albeit those with melodic tendencies), the "Cries Of The Past" will probably be right up your alley. If you're not into heavier music, then this might not be an album you want to pick up, especially because Amazon sellers seem to like to take advantage of people horribly ($115 dollars for "Act Of Depression" and $188 for this? please). It's probably best to look into before shelling out the money for it. However even new Underoath fans will probably find something about this cd to appreciate, even if heavy music isn't your bag. It should definitely be sampled before purchase though. If you're open to other kinds of music, I don't see any problems coming up. If you are interested in buying this album, please don't get ripped off by amazon. I'd recommend checking ebay. I've seen them go for as cheap as $25, and that's probably the best price you'll find unfortunately. Still $25 to $188 doesn't look so bad does it? It boggles my mind how Underoath hasn't reissued these yet, especially with the huge success they've experienced lately.

"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.

First let me say that I got this cd for free from their keyboardist Chris Dudley. The first time I listened to this my jaw hit the floor. Every song out does the rest. It is impossible to have a favorite or least favorite on this album. This my favorite Metal album, period; and I own alot of Metal. If you have any taste in metal or just for good musicianship(evenm if you don't like the vocals(which are amazing) you will appreciate the talent of these guys) this is a must have. If you like Zao, At the Gates, Darkest Hour, Extol, The Agony Scene, As I Lay Dying, Nodes Of Ranvier...etc GET THIS NOW!!!
You will not be dissapointed.
This one of the most technical, beautiful, hard hitting, in your face, and lovely albums to ever grace the Metal Underworld, Christian or not.
Every song on here is a masterpiece.
BUY IT

Underoath Cries of the past is yet another of their masterpieces.
Its a little different from AoD but I think its only slightly better.Dallas delivers his ear shredding vocals at perfection as well as his scary death vocal.The guitarists play at amazing speed and they do it so well.They use alot of different guitar skills such as tapping and others to make the sound relentless.The drummer has some solos and he plays fast as well and can really hit those pedals.The bassist has some solos also and its good that you can actually hear him.And the keyboardists has some haunting intros and nice playing to put more rythm in the songs.The lyrics have alot of heart crushing and depressing things happening in them (listen to cries of the past)but then tell how Jesus Christ (the only saviour) pulled them out of it.I recommend this to anyone thats into the scene and if u dont have it already, find it and buy it right away along with Act of Depression.

One word -- METAL!!! Yeah, if you liked "Acts of Depression" for the hardcore sections, you're in for a jolt with this one. While it's not thrown out altogether, this is heavily slanted towards the death/black scene with the addition of a keyboard player, more death vox, and a guitarist that isn't afraid to freaking PLAY that thing.
So let's start at the beginning. Whatever you liked "Acts..." for, its' still here. The keys will surely throw some listeners, but this is still 100% Underoath. The huge guitars still rip with similarly written chops, the vocals and rhythm section still sounds roughly the same, and the songs are (get this) now even longer. All of this notwithstanding though, the keys (despite not being played all the time like a real black metal band) really do add a completely new element that's very cool, and the songs are stronger and less repetitive than before. Really, my only suggestion to the band would be to work on new ways to introduce the (seeming hundreds of) riff changes, as the whole "drop everything but the guitars and then come back in" trick gets worn out pretty quickly.

Bottom line is this, though -- this is the disc that will make hardcore kids everywhere grow their hair long and practice tapping their guitars while wearing studded arm bads. Metal is back, better than ever, and Underoath is its name....

Whoever says Dallas' vocals/lyrics suck on this CD should stop listening to music. Everything about this CD rocks. Get it now if you can afford it.

As everyone has said, your best bet is downloading this. This is really a GREAT album. I prefer this over Act of Depression simply because of Chris on the keyboards. Also with the addition of a new bassist giving Octavio full time on guitar really stands out. This album was the last of the "old" underoath. Changing of Times basically speaks for itself. The band started taking the step into the Post Hardcore genre, which wasn't a bad move just pissed off a lot of fans. True fans of this band would stick by them even though most of UnderOaths new fans are scene kids, not go around online and complaining about it. Dallas Taylor isn't coming back, and even if he did it wouldn't be the same still, so get over it.

yeah this is raw underoath. great composition of the music and powerful lyrics. Cries of the Past is where Underoath wants to bring the message of hope and redemption to the people.

"Time is short and the hurt of death grows with every breath
Here I am at the end
This wall that blocked you out for so long opens wide
And I begin to burn from the inside
I'll never forget that night
The night Jesus Christ made the blackness white"
-- The Last

anyways. instead of buying it from Amazon for like $80 plus, get it from MusiChristian.com for below $15. (if i remember correctly). it's so worth it!

I like some Christian rock, but not because it is Christian. This album is among the best 10 albums I have heard in my life. The LONG songs have a lot of variety, even though there are only a few. This album is worth 100 bucks if you have that much to blow on any rare album, but I would use that money to buy 8 other cd's for the same amount. Overall, if you are a collector, yes. Otherwise "borrow" the CD from someone or a music downloading site ;)

-David

Crazy, crazy metalcore with a very direct black metal influence. Or is it the other way around? I could just as easily say that this is crazy, crazy black metal with hardcore leanings, because these upstarts have succeeded indeed when it comes to the game of obliterating lines between classifications of metal. Besides the fact that Underoath have pioneered a completely new sub-genre, let it be known that this CD is 42 minutes long but consists of only five songs, and therefore, the compositions consist of many different parts. Lightning-fast riffing leads into a melodic section that turns into a giant mosh riff as keyboards weigh heavy upon the soul, drums of doom keep it all in time and shrill black metal vocals scare any small children in the vicinity. this is just an example of what a few minutes listening to one of these dark sagas would put you through. I think these guys can be classified as Black-core. Black-core it metalcore with prominent Blackmetal influences, mixed with hardcore. This is much, much better than The Changing of Times, and it is far more brutal and heavy as well. But it imediately!!!

This album is my favorite Underoath cd. Many people argue over Dallas (My personal fav.) and the newer vocalist. Honestly theres not alot to argue about. Yes they have different styles, but the whole point is they are differnet. They each have their strong points. The band changed with 2004's release of They're only changing safety. I didn't hear this cd till after I was a big fan of The changing of times. It blew me away because I felt The changing of times had too much clean singing. If you are a fan of extreme music with a touch of melody but still very heavy, then this is definately for you. I wish Dallas still did vocals for them, but I respect the new vocalist's style even though the music has lost some of its intensity. Anyways, I reccomend a download since this album can be quite pricy online, and not to mention if you buy it used it doesn't profit the band at all. Check it out, Im sure you will love it.