They're Only Chasing Safety is the fourth album by American post-hardcore band Underoath. The album was released on June 15, 2004, through Solid State Records. Prior to recording, it was ready to be recorded with Underoath founder and frontman Dallas Taylor, but instead was replaced with the band's current lead vocalist Spencer Chamberlain. It is also the first record to feature bassist Grant Brandell, who replaced William Nottke shortly after the release of The Changing of Times, and James Smith, who replaced Octavio Fernandez on rhythm guitar.
Style
Although Underoath has been described as metalcore, a review by Alex Henderson of Allmusic classifies They're Only Chasing Safety as an alternative rock style which could be described as screamo, post-hardcore, or melodic hardcore. According to Henderson, "this screamo/post-hardcore/melodic hardcore approach is quite different from full-fledged metalcore; while metalcore units like Hatebreed, Brick Bath, and Finland's notoriously ferocious Rotten Sound go right for the jugular, Underoath and similar bands prefer to mix honey with vinegar." In another review, Andrew Segal of Cross Rhythms describes the album as nu metal, and said that, while on the heavier side of the rock scale, the album is well produced and "shows more signs of intelligence than the genre is often credited with."
Release
On April 23, 2004, They're Only Chasing Safety was announced for release in June. In addition, "Reinventing Your Exit" was posted on the group's website. They're Only Chasing Safety was released on June 15 through Solid State. All original version cover photography and album artwork was created by Kris McCaddon, formerly of Embodyment and Demon Hunter, and later of The Famine. On October 4, 2004, the album was re-released through Tooth and Nail Records as a special edition, which included four bonus tracks, a bonus DVD, and new artwork and packaging designed by Converge's Jacob Bannon. "Reinventing Your Exit" was released to radio on February 22, 2005. In October and November, the group supported Thrice on their headlining US tour.
Bonus tracks and song titles
All of the bonus tracks that are featured on the special edition of the album except for "I've Got Ten Friends and a Crowbar That Says You Ain't Gonna Do Jack" were taken from the band's session with Matt Goldman and are early pre-production demos of songs which would later grow to become the regular album tracks. "The 80's Song" is an early version of "It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door", "You're So Intricate" is an early version of "I'm Content with Losing", and "Smic Tague" is an instrumental adaptation of "Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape". Prior to the release of They're Only Chasing Safety, a few of these early version tracks were used to promote the album; the song "You're So Intricate" had been featured on a Tower Records exclusive Tooth & Nail Records compilation and a demo version of "Young and Aspiring" had been posted on the Underoath website. "I've Got Ten Friends and a Crowbar That Says You Ain't Gonna Do Jack" first appeared as the opening track on SmartPunk.com's Music on the Brain Vol. 1 compilation, which was released on July 20, 2004. The song would later appear on the 12" vinyl and Japanese versions of They're Only Chasing Safety. The intro of "Young and Aspiring" was inspired from the intro of the Pantera song "Suicide Note Pt. I", that appears on their eighth album, The Great Southern Trendkill. The title of the song "Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape" is a reference to the 1999 filmMagnolia, where it can be seen in the synopsis on the DVD case.
Reception
As of 2005, They're Only Chasing Safety sold more than 218,000 copies, with the re-release selling an additional 279,000 copies, making a combined sales of more than 500,000 copies in the US alone. On December 21, 2011, it was announced that the album had been certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of 500,000 copies. In 2005, the album was nominated for a Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year at the 36th GMA Dove Awards.
