Customer Reviews

From First to Last

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this album, and was pleasantly surprised. 1st off i should let you know i listen to everything from Jimmy Eat World to Suicide Silence. In other words Lightest Rock to Heaviest Metal. So when I listened to this CD i got the best of both worlds, i originally heard the song "Two as One" and thought it was awful, but the song grew on me as well as the new style. Even though it does lack Sonny, Matt Good Fills the spot with ease its not quite as Emo/Screamo as the 1st album but, in my opinion the new Hardcorish/main stream rock is better. I'd recommend it for people who like, 30 Seconds to Mars, Bless the Fall, Saosin, or The Used.

This is From First To Last's first release on Interscope Records, moving up in the music industry from Epitaph Records (which did do the band very well, making a name for themselves). Over the years the band has gone through label shifts and member changes. so it's no shock that this self-titled release has a nervous energy throughout. From First To Last are flying around in the category field. They aren't punk and not typical screamo. yet not hard-core either. They mix a type of all these styles, which I think helped with their success. because they appeal to fans of all different genres of music.

This album definitely is driven by angst, fierce guitars, and aggression -- every song displays it. therefore putting them in a hard-core category as far as I'm concerned. "Two As One" is a tight and sharp in-yer-face rocker. This album also has post-punk type anthems, as well as heartfelt yet still on the heavy side semi-ballads like "We All Turn Back To Dust" that changes tempo from heavy to a lighter rock with a sing-a-long chorus. It's good to see the band still doing well at a time when bands don't normally survive going through what they have.

I was never really too big on this band, partly because of their previous singer. For those who don't really know too much about FFTL, just know that their previous singer was whiney and screamed too much. But he left to do his solo thing and this is the first release with the guitarist Matt Good taking over at vocals. His name pretty much sums it up - he's a really good vocalist. But the vocals aren't the only things that's evolved with this band, the whole approach is different. This CD gives you songs that you're not only able to sing along too, but you're able to rock out as well. I love the lead guitar parts even though they aren't the type of band to dish out big guitar solos. Tons of energy on the record though. "Worlds Away", which is the single, grew on me and I can't get that damn song out of my head. Each song has it's own little tid-bit about it that makes it cool, whether it's the guitar parts of "Two As One", the headbanging intro/chorus of "A Perfect Mess", or even Matt's great singing on "Tick Tick Tomorrow". Some songs can be skippable at times because I like some more than others, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they're bad songs because I'll come back to each song from time to time. Hey, I'm not saying this is the best CD of the year or anything, but I give it two thumbs up for a band that had to freaking re-invent themselves. Enjoy!

There is a lot of energy to this album but its the same energy in every song. The instruments are played very well just like in Heroine but Matt doesn't vary his style of singing in each song. He just repeats the same phrases over and over and over "two as one for all...."...."I'm two steps away from my subtle..." "I wouldn't call this dating..." its catchy but it gets old very quick. I know it's called a chorus but at least integrate better into the song and don't say the same thing every couple seconds. Every band seems to be moving to this poppy more catchy tune and its ruining my love for the bands just like Atreyu they turned to the poppy stuff its still good but it gets old quickly. This album is not FFTL's best album at all I still believe Heroine was the best i still listen to it. I am tired of people complaining about Sonny's style but it was unique and only added to FFTL's uniqueness. I wish sonny was still singing for FFTL it would be amazing but whatever.

Overall Grade: C+
The album has amazing drumming and guitaring which keeps me listening to it...but Matt needs to come up with some new lyrics.
The lyrics are what is really bringing down their talent as a band.

Everyone should buy this album because it is amazing. But what else can you expect from From First To Last? You would be doing youself a favor by buying this album.

Hallelujah, the whining is gone.

If you found previous output from this band to be bordering on unlistenable, Matt Good holds the key to your heart, because guess what? He can actually sing without sounding like a middle schooler who's just failed math.

While "From First to Last" is certainly nothing groundbreaking in the broader scope of things, it is a great listen for fans of hard rock, punk, and (not so much) screamo. The tuneage here runs the gamut from quasi-metalcore ("Two As One," "I Once Was Lost, But Now Am Profound") to ironically throat-ripping anthems about open-mindedness ("The Other Side") to massively enjoyable stuff that sounds like the bastard child of Muse (albeit on a day with abnormally high pollen count) and CKY ("Worlds Away"). There's also a (subtle!) rhythmic undercurrent throughout which may bring to mind The Refused's The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombation In 12 Bursts. Very nice.

This is not a perfect record. But it is still among the better listens so far this year, and a total surprise from one of the longer holdouts in the category of "Previously Supremely Annoying Emo Bands." While this is not quite a Fear Before the March of Flames caliber turnaround for From First to Last, it's certainly impressive what simply kicking out an irritating lead singer can accomplish.

i start listen to from first to last since Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has A Bodycount (2004). the new album of from first to last are little diffenrent because matt good is the lead vacal now so if u once of the from first to last fans so u must support this album....