From First to Last

From First To Last have a bit of conundrum on their self-titled debut for Interscope, as they've since graduated from Epitaph after a healthy career that flourished under that indie label. From First To Last isn't quite punk rock, yet it's certainly not paint-by-numbers screamo, either. It's not as exuberant as hardcore or as tinny as post-hardcore, either. The album is a mix of all the aforementioned styles, and therefore it speaks to a vast audience of disaffected youth that desperately need something to cling to in these awkward, difficult times in their lives. FFTL operates on a guitar-driven, turbo-charged battery of angst, aggression, tension and fierceness. And that is a delicious cocktail for kids trying to make sense of themselves, much less the world.

It's no shock that this album is a bundle of nervous energy, since FFTL have endured a plethora of line up changes and label shifts, one of which featured former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland, over the past few years. These things often cripple lesser bands, but instead of imploding on themselves, FFTL have endured, and their chops are sharper than ever on a rager like "Two As One." FFTL features post-punk anthems, heartfelt yet heavy semi-ballads like "We All Turn Back To Dust" that vacillate between two tempos within the song, and lyrics that invite screaming along from the crowd. While the band doesn't inspire the kind of blind worship that's normally reserved for bands like Fall Out Boy and Chiodos, the chunky FFTL will permanently click with those who have rooted love for the band.

—Amy Sciarretto
03.18.08