Underoath

Sometimes the exercise of reviewing bands is futile: if you love Underoath, you’re going to love this; if you hate them, it’s much the same. As far as Survive Kaleidoscope goes, frankly, it’s an exercise in self-gratification. While it’s supposed to be a live album, any crowd interaction is relegated to "what’s up, [insert city]?” and crowd response is reduced to cheers and predictable sing-alongs. What you’re left with is nothing more than a standard Underoath album interspersed with predictable cheers from an anonymous audience, and a carbon copy of a carbon copy of Thursday (imagine Michael Keaton in Multiplicity set to music). This album isn’t for the faint of heart or for the discerning ear. Essentially what you have here is lazy, by the numbers nu-hardcore for kids that have never paid their own rent. But I guess you’ve got to play to your audience, or something.