The room was sweltering. The cement floor trembled, feeling like it would collapse at any moment. Everyone was screaming.

Though this sounds as if it might be a scene from the latest disaster flick, it was really the scene at Hanson's in-store appearance at Virgin Megastore in Times Square on April 20 celebrating the release of their third album, Underneath.

It has been four years since the world heard much of anything from Hanson. In 2000 the band released its sophomore album, "This Time Around" to critical acclaim and commercial indifference. After a tour to support the album the trio, who stormed onto the scene with the wildly successful "Mmmbop" in 1997, disappeared into a studio and out of public view.

According to an article in Rolling Stone magazine they emerged last summer, older, wiser, and free from their contract with Island/Def Jam Music Group to embark on an acoustic tour to give their fans a taste of what they'd been working on during their hiatus. The boys played to sold out crowds across the country before closing out the tour with a sold out show at Carnegie Hall in November.

While the ink was still drying on their divorce with Island/Def Jam the band took matters into their own hands and launched their own record label 3CG Records. According to an article in Rolling Stone magazine the label's name pays homage to the bands early days recording in their family's three car garage.

When asked about the birth of 3CG records at a press conference last fall Taylor Hanson, the 21-year-old pianist of the group, told Rolling Stone, "There's been a lot of change in the industry, for us to start our own record company was a fresh new way to approach what we were doing."

It also seemed to be the only way the brothers could keep their artistic integrity, not to mention their sanity, in tact.

A recent VH1 special entitled "All Access Spotlight: Hanson" gave viewers a glimpse into the time leading up to the release of Underneath, including the bands fierce battle with Island/Def Jam to put out the album they had their hearts set on.

According to the show the band recorded over 80 songs for the album only to have almost all of them rejected by Island/Def Jam, and after months of struggling the band was at its wits end.

"Eighty songs is what this record was," said a tearful Zac Hanson, 18 and the group's drummer "You know, we've written hundreds of songs, but..."

"You know you've reached a real extreme point when you yourself begin to doubt your own music," said Isaac Hanson, 23 and the lead guitar player, continuing where his younger brother left off.

Fortunately all the hardship and hard work Hanson put into Underneath paid off this April when on its release day the band was greeted at Virgin Megastore by a crowd of enthusiastic fans who had lined up for a mini-concert and autograph signing.

"I kind of choked up. There's been so much emotion that's been put into the record and so much time," said Isaac reflecting on the day for Rolling Stone Magazine.

The band started its set with the first song from their new CD, a sunny acoustic song about the dark days spent fighting for their music, called "Strong Enough to Break."

Lena Lombardi, 17, and a resident of Brooklyn, said this was one of her favorite songs on the new album and that she was glad they had played it.

While standing outside the store in a white blouse and denim skirt Lombardi, a high school senior at Townsend Harris and Hanson fan of seven years, talked about the performance.

"I thought it was one of their best shows," she said "There was a very triumphant feeling in the air that definitely came through in the energy of the performance."

The set list also featured four other songs from the new album including the title track, "Underneath," and the album's first single "Penny & Me," which debuted on the Billboard singles chart at number two.

While the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd remained consistently high, the band's last number, an up-tempo rock number called "Hey", raised the crowd volume a couple decibels as the band invited the audience to sing along.

After the six song set concluded the store invited fans to line up for a meet-and-greet with the band.

Standing outside the store in a green tank top and blue jeans, Laura Fama, 18 of Brooklyn, said that this was when the only problem of the evening arose.

"The store had no air conditioning, and by the time we got in that line it was pretty hot," she said "Also, they [the staff at the Virgin Megastore] didn't really organize how to get us from the crowd into a line so there was some pushing."

Lucie Melahn, 35, had driven up that day from her home in Virginia just to be present on what she said she considered a very important day for the band.

"I always love to see Hanson live, and I especially wanted to be there on that day because it was their victory day. They got that record out after four years of struggle. I hadn't been planning to go, but I had the day off. Around 11 a.m., I looked at the clock and thought, I could make it to NYC by five if I leave right now," she said via email.

Melahn, a defense contractor and graduate of Cornell who became a fan in 2000, said that she loved Underneath and that the album reminded her of "early Matthew Sweet."

"These days I think Hanson is the best band out there. They make real album rock, which not many artists do any more. The band went through a lot of struggle, both professionally and emotionally, trying to get this album out. I'm sure they emerged from the experience a lot wiser and tougher. I am so impressed that they were able to take this situation and turn it from failure to an amazing success story. Most artists would just die a slow career death," she said.

It seems it will take a lot more than an ornery record label to kill Hanson. Underneath debuted at number one on Billboard's independent records chart, and at number 25 on the overall sales chart, making it one of the most successful self-released independent albums of all time.