Swinghouse Studios was swarming with people eager to hear Underoath’s latest addition to the music world Disambiguation at the exclusive listening party.

The band has recently acquired a new drummer and Daniel Davison (formerly of Norma Jean) was an exciting addition to the Underoath lineup!  As the band was preparing to reveal their latest accomplishment to the harshest of critics (journalists!) Davison invited me to chat on the couch he was perched upon- so I made the climb up three tiers of couch clad pseudo stages (wrong day to wear a dress) and the one on one 411 sesh was ready to begin.

BNB:  So let’s  address the obvious first- how has the dynamic changed for you- coming from Norma Jean to Underoath?

DD:  You know- it’s been great.  I’ve been friends and have known these guys for ten years.

BNB:  That’s right!  You guys used to tour together, right?

DD:  Yeah.  We kind of grew up together- we were on the same label.  We were both from the Southeast so we were always playing shows together and staying at each other’s houses.  Like when Norma Jean would go through Florida we’d crash at their place.

BNB:  So you guys really do go way back- safe to say the chemistry was always there?

DD:  Oh definitely.  It was a really natural kind of flow, really easy.  Like the first week I went down to Florida to kind of jam with them- we were really curious as to how it was gonna be but from day one it was just really smooth!

BNB:  Now I’ve been reading that the band kind of unanimously decided that this is their favorite album to date- the one they’re most proud of and happy with- was there something missing from their older albums- aside from you of course!

DD:  No I mean- I think that for them it was the first time in a long time that they were just all on the same page and all kind of had the same vision for the record.  And the process of it was just kind of really smooth and fun.  That kind of all ties in to the overall opinion and feeling of a record.  I personally think that it’s my favorite music that I’ve been a part of.

 

BNB:  So as a rock veteran yourself- you’ve been on the scene for about ten years now- did any of your musical influences change in the making of this new album?

DD:  Umm not necessarily- I’ve had the same musical influences for years- I don’t really listen to a lot of new music- so it would be the same influences.

BNB:  Which are?

DD:  As far as musical and drum related influences go the Deftones are definitely a big band that I’ve liked since I was like twelve years old, and bands like Helmet and Unsane- and Coalesce I guess- just like the heavier bands.

 

BNB:  Any pre-show rituals or vices?

DD:  No not really…

BNB:  Haha, you’re perfect!

DD:  (Cracks up) No, no!  I mean I’ve never really been one to warm up or anything.  I just kind of get out there and do my thing.  But I do- I think pretty much all of us wear the same clothes every night- so I think that would be kind of our ritual!

BNB:  Oh- that DEFINITELY qualifies as a ritual.  Now- do we wash the clothes?

DD:  I never have in the past but our tour manager is really awesome at what he does and he will wash our show clothes for us.

 

BNB:  So favorite venue to play in the U.S.?

DD:  The venue called the Norva in Norfolk, VA it’s just this super nice old type theater venue downtown and they have like a hot tub and saunas…

BNB:  Well looks like I’ll be making a trip to VA!

DD:  You should stop into the Norva!

 

BNB:  Favorite country to travel to for a show?

DD:  Umm…I’ve been to Australia twice on tour and the crowds there are pretty great- the energy as far as crowds at the show is just really great.  Some countries can be pretty similar to hear and a lot more bands are going there now but back the first time I went not so many hardcore bands were going there I guess so the kids were just hungry for it, ya know?

 

BNB:  If you could collaborate with any artist or band now- I mean, I know you just made a transition but…

DD:  That’s a tough one!  I guess….I would love to do something with the Deftones like that’s kind of one of my things- like if I could ever…

BNB:  Right?!  That would be like your almost famous moment!

DD:  Oh, totally!  I would just love to like- even play a show with them!  That would be great.

 

BNB:  So you’ve been in the music scene for about ten years right now- any advice you can give to bands just starting out?

DD:  Yeah I mean- the music world is COMPLETELY different now than when I started playing music and like everything’s digital now and MySpaces and Twitter and Facebook…

BNB:  Cyberstalking 101

DD:  Yeah- which all that is secondary.  Like if you’re starting a band, like a new band- figure out your band and your music and who you are and what you want to do as a band before you start worrying about how many friends you have on Facebook, ya know?  Although- those are amazing tools for musicians- but figure out yourselves first- and practice.  Play your instruments!  Become the best you can be at your craft before you go out there and try and just tour or record a record.  I mean, all of that’s awesome- but become the best you can be first.

 

BNB:  Craziest recording story for Disambiguation?

DD:  I mean, the whole thing is kind of crazy- just like how the process happened!  I mean when we were writing it was like really long- which I’m used to but I guess these guys weren’t…

BNB:  Uh oh- they better live up to your expectations!

DD:  Haha, yeah!  So like the whole process was like- I went down there to jam with them and when they called me they were like- we’re recording in a month- like three days later I’m down in Tampa and we write the whole record in a month- so..that’s kinda crazy!  We had like two days off I think and then we went straight into the recording studio for six weeks.

BNB:  So it was essentially your new home- bring a sleeping bag.

DD:  Yeah, it was!  Another kind of crazy thing- we had a song that none of us were like super super stoked on, so one night we decided to scrap it, while in the studio, so that night we ended up staying there until like three in the morning and ended up just writing a whole new song- like in one night.

 

BNB:  Would you say you prefer the recording process or playing live shows?

DD:  Probably playing live shows- I mean I love recording and writing and being in that environment cuz it’s just all creative- but playing it live is just like the pay off of all that.  Getting to play what you’ve worked so hard on and getting to see people’s reactions.

BNB:  Contact high care of your fans?

DD:  Yeah it’s great you like feed off their energy!  It makes you more excited, you play harder.

 

BNB:  So- we’re all stoked to hear the new album, Disambiguation- any disclaimer you’d like to give me before I hear it in less than an hour?

DD:  I didn’t realize it was that soon!  I don’t really think I have a disclaimer- it will be the first time we’re playing the whole record in its entirety- which will be fun- and it’s the first time we’re playing it in its entirety in front of anyone aside from the band.

 

BNB:  So now that you switched teams to Underoath- can we expect any Underoath/ Norma Jean collaborations?

DD:  I don’t really know- I mean I don’t really forsee any kind of collaboration- but a tour is definitely not out of the question!  I mean they’re good friends of all of ours.

BNB:  So the split was totally amicable!

DD:  Oh definitely.

 

BNB:  Closing remarks to friends and fans?

DD:  Thank you for all of your continued support and we’re stoked to share the record with everybody!

 

I left the way too comfortable couch and headed back out into the masses where everyone was urgently asserting their concerns through muffled whispers.  I had literally gone from quarter life crisis back to high school in 3.5 seconds flat.  Would it be the same sound?  Had the dynamic changed?  Ten minutes later and most everyone in the room accessorized with a beer and we were sitting down facing the band ready for what would hopefully be a musical treat with a few tricks up its sleeve.

The next thirty-minutes did NOT disappoint.  The sounds were as heavy as ever (starting with an intro that literally grabs the listener by the ears) and followed by tracks embedded with loud longing and no shortage of strong riffs.

Whether it was the addition of fresh blood among the seasoned rockaholics- or something else, Underoath is back with a vengeance and new life in music capable of waking the dead.

Stay on the lookout for Dismabiguation and be ready to add it to your Mp3 collection stat.  Underoath is on the rise, again.  You can check them out at www.myspace.com/underoath!

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