During the band's early years, when they were fronted by former vocalist Dallas Taylor, Underoath displayed a heavier style than their later, more well-known work, incorporating disparate influences from death and black metal. With Taylor, they released Act of Depression, Cries of the Past, and The Changing of Times. Following Taylor's departure, Spencer Chamberlain became lead vocalist. The band then released They're Only Chasing Safety and Define the Great Line, gaining a certified gold rating and the highest-charting Christian album on The Billboard 200 since 1997, respectively. These two albums have given them more mainstream and commercial success. They're Only Chasing Safety marked an extreme departure from their earlier work, with extensive use of clean vocals and poppy rhythms, and a near-complete eradication of breakdowns and the use of double-bass. Define The Great Line reflected another shift in style, once again incorporating heavier styles into Underoath's sound. While the album still featured extensive clean vocals, its use of heavier vocals, detuned guitars, and Botch-inspired guitar work paved the way for Underoath's future.
Underoath released a live album called Survive, Kaleidoscope on May 27, 2008. Earlier that year, the band recorded a new studio album called Lost in the Sound of Separation, which was released on September 2, 2008, peaking at number 8 on the Billboard 200. In April 2010, Aaron Gillespie announced his resignation from the band, stating that there are no hard feelings and that he will continue to pursue his other band, The Almost, leaving Underoath with none of its founding members.
The band recorded their seventh album with new drummer Daniel Davison, formerly of Norma Jean. The album, Ø (Disambiguation), was released on November 9, 2010.
In October 2012, Underoath announced that they would be disbanding the following year, in addition to a career-spanning compilation album, Anthology: 1999–2013, which was released on November 6, 2012. The band then embarked on a nine-date farewell tour, which wrapped up at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg, Florida on January 26, 2013.
In January 2015, the band launched a campaign to finalize production of documentary film about their farewell tour of 12 shows, posting two trailers on that subject to their YouTube channel.
In July 2015, Underoath began teasing the phrase "rebirth is coming" and an accompanying cryptic video across their social media accounts. The audio portion to the cryptic video, when played backwards, turned out to be the chorus for "It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door" off the band's 2004 album They're Only Chasing Safety, and later a countdown timer ending on August 24, 2015 later appeared on the band's website.
On August 17, 2015, the band's first show since disbanding in 2013 was announced, headlining the Self Help Fest in San Bernardino, California on March 19, 2016, along with A Day to Remember. In an interview article for Alternative Press, Chamberlain and Gillespie confirmed that the band was reuniting.
Moving for the Sake of Motion
Underoath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been wandering here for days
Disconnected, and in search for new air to breathe in
I don't think I can fix this
Don't think I could change
But that's the problem
Our closing walls have caged us in
And I can't quite remember
This was the first time I didn't say enough
This was the only time I kept it close enough
Brace yourself!
Come on and brace yourself!
They're not waking
They're not waking up
They're not waking
They're not waking
(Oh, my god)
Oh, my god
I hate the me that I've become
This needy useless forgetting one
Truthfully
I can't be the me
The me that I've washed up to be
Don't stop breathing
The walls have just begun to spin
Just let the water calm you this time
It's all around you
Just open your eyes and take a look
It will never kill you, not this time
Don't stop breathing
Just let the water calm you
Don't stop breathing, not this time
It's all around you
It's all around you
We're surrounded for all I care
Brace yourself right now
Lights out
Random breathing
I can't keep swimming
Can't keep my head up
Moving for the Sake of Motion by Underoath is a song that depicts the confusion and distress that comes with feeling lost in life. The opening lines, "Someone please turn the lights back on, I've been wandering here for days," reveal a sense of aimlessness and disorientation. The singer is in search of something new to help him emerge from this state of mind. He acknowledges that the problem lies in not speaking to God.
The lines, "Our closing walls have caged us in, and I can't quite remember," suggest the feeling of being trapped and the inability to recall a time when things were different. The singer regrets not having spoken up more in the past and kept his true thoughts and feelings to himself. The chorus, "Brace yourself, come on and brace yourself, they're not waking up," suggests a frustration at the lack of response or reaction from those around him.
The bridge, "Oh, my god, I hate the me that I've become, this needy useless forgetting one, truthfully I can't be the me that I've washed up to be," reveals a self-loathing and a desire for change. The singer recognizes that he is not living up to his potential and wishes to be a better version of himself. The song ends with a plea to keep breathing and to let the water calm him down, suggesting a need to let go and trust in the flow of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone please turn the lights back on
I feel lost and aimless in the darkness, and I need guidance.
I've been wandering here for days
I've been searching for meaning and purpose in my life for a while now, but haven't found it yet.
Disconnected, and in search for new air to breathe in
Disconnected from my surroundings and in need of a breath of fresh air to help me find my way.
I don't think I can fix this
I feel like my problems are too big and I'm not capable of solving them on my own.
Don't think I could change
I feel like I'm stuck in my current state and unable to change or improve myself.
But that's the problem
The root of my problems lies in my inability to communicate with God and seek His guidance.
We never speak to Him
I haven't been communicating with God or seeking His guidance in my life.
Our closing walls have caged us in
We've trapped ourselves in our own problems by not seeking help or guidance.
And I can't quite remember
I've lost sight of what's important and what I need to do to improve my situation.
This was the first time I didn't say enough
I regret not speaking up or taking action when I had the chance to make a positive change.
This was the only time I kept it close enough
I'm holding on to my problems and not seeking help or reaching out for support.
Brace yourself!
Prepare yourself for what's to come.
Come on and brace yourself!
Get ready to face your problems head on.
They're not waking up
Others around me are also struggling and not awakening to their potential or seeking help.
Oh, my god!
Expressing surprise and a feeling of being overwhelmed with the situation at hand.
I hate the me that I've become
I don't like who I am currently and feel like I've lost myself in my struggles.
This needy useless forgetting one
I feel needy, useless, and unable to remember what's important.
Truthfully, I can't be the me the me that I've washed up to be
Honestly, I can't be the person that my struggles have shaped me to be. I need to move past my problems to become my true self.
Don't stop breathing
Keep going and don't give up.
The walls have just begun to spin
My problems are starting to feel overwhelming and like they're closing in on me.
Just let the water calm you this time
Let yourself be still and find peace in this moment of chaos.
It's all around you
The solution or guidance you need is present and accessible, you just need to open your eyes to see it.
Just open your eyes and take a look
Take notice of what's around you and what you can do to improve your situation.
It will never kill you, not this time
You can overcome this challenge and move forward. It won't defeat you this time around.
We're surrounded for all I care
I don't care about the situation or problems surrounding me because I'm focused on overcoming them and moving forward.
Lights out
The time for action and change is now. No more waiting around.
Random breathing
I'm struggling to stay afloat and keep going.
I can't keep swimming
I'm struggling to keep going and need help to keep moving forward.
Can't keep my head up
I'm struggling to maintain a positive outlook and need guidance to keep my head above water.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Aaron Gillespie, Christopher Dudley, Grant Brandell, James Smith, Timothy Mctague, William Spencer Chamberlain
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind