Punknews.orgPunknews.org Logo
Review Navigator

BackForward

Features

 

Contests

 


Reviews



Yes, this is the band whose press photos are quite possibly the epitome of what many would perceive as fashioncore.

Yes, this is the band who took the "screamo" lite of mainstream poster goths the Used and mixed it with the "heaviness" of modern melodic metalcore.

Yes, this is the band whose last record -- which, in fact, did the abovementioned -- was titled Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count.

This is From First to Last. This is Heroine, their new album.

This is, in fact, a decent effort.

Alright, alright, let's settle ourselves. We should begin by recognizing that while Heroine doesn't deliver a truly remarkable musical dent in the face of the marginally underground rock community, it's such a drastic improvement over Diary that it's easy to welcome despite the ridiculous guise put on in front of the music.

No longer do we hear significantly derivative, metalcore-shaded pop track in and out. While vocalist Sonny Moore's singing style is still somewhat whiny and nasally, and he sounds awkward and uncomfortable throughout, FFTL color their music with strokes of Nine Inch Nails-influenced industrial and more realized, metallic post-hardcore with a serious variety of guitar tones and effects. The band rarely employs a scream, and when they're used they tend to be relegated to the background.

Ross Robinson's at the helms here, and that may be why the opener "Mothersound" sounds a lot like an uptempo, Everything-era Glassjaw cut after it opens with a few seconds of Moore's eerie wailing, as he warbles through the chorus with efficiency. Beyond this, the pace varies drastically, especially within the methodical "The Crows Are Coming for Us," where the band shows the height of their ambition. Moore wails in the chorus like Jello Biafra -- seriously -- while the band behind him constructs a canvas of interlaying, heavily spacey noise in a Creative Eclipses-era Cave In sense -- seriously. "World War Me" slides through with a slinky urgency and clinky drums and guitar combination, with Moore finding a fair range in his voice at the chorus. "The Levy" seems to directly reference The Fragile at one more reflective, piano-dependent moment. The last few tracks on the album seem to plod by at a downward pace; maybe even in a spiral. The depressing "Waltz Moore" is quite obviously about bullimia with lines like "I can't eat anything without shoving my hands down my throat" and "I'm staring in the mirror looking back at the person I hate."

Heroine might not work on the whole just because it doesn't retain a uniform pace of something that can actually translate to enjoyability, and it's generally all over the place. Still, there are a few genuinely good songs, and the others offer many promising moments. Certainly, it's hard not to choke on the gallons of eyeliner and face paint and assorted metal pieces of piercings when taking in From First to Last, but the strangest thing is that the aftertaste isn't that bad after all.

MP3s
The Latest Plague
The Levy


VIDEO
The Latest Plague



People who liked this also liked:
From First To Last - Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has A Body CountAvenged Sevenfold - City Of EvilAtreyu - A Death-Grip on YesterdayMy Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet RevengeHawthorne Heights - If Only You Were LonelyThe Used - In Love And DeathFall Out Boy - From Under The Cork TreeRise Against - The Sufferer & the WitnessAFI - DecemberundergroundFall Out Boy - Take This to Your Grave



Please login or register to post comments.
What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
  • Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
  • Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
  • Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
  • Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

    Posted by xFreezyx on 2007-03-05 00:19:46

    Complete waste of time. This band consists of a bunch of log jammers that wear fucking girls pants and die their hair back and cry about how they cant get a date. If you weren't a fucking transvestite maybe you could. Fuck this band and all of their shitty bretheren.

    Posted by life-is-fucking-joke on 2007-02-15 08:26:21
    My Score:

    i thought this cd blowed giant balls but i still love the band olde stuff is way beter

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:26:57
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:26:57
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:26:50
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:26:50
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:26:27
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:26:21
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:26:14
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:26:04
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:25:59
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by fugazifreak on 2007-02-12 20:25:55
    My Score:

    trash if your under the age of 15 and don't know Black Flag or Fugazi and say you are hardcore get this

    Posted by ___bodybag on 2006-12-07 17:05:51
    My Score:

    Honestly at first I though it was crap. Once you listen to it for a while you love it. The songs on it are a lot darker but have more meaning than the one's on 'dear diary'. I love From First To Last & I can't go a day without listening to them.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-10-27 12:28:48

    Idiots.

    Music, and all forms of art/entertainment, would die without criticism. You're all just bitchy that the band you like isn't liked by a lot of people.

    Posted by Ell on 2006-09-14 10:30:31
    My Score:

    Ok. to put a stop to all of your bitching if you dont like the band dont listen to them, dont comment on their reviews and then yell at everyone else when they dont share you oppinion ok. k thanks

    Posted by darksideofbeauty on 2006-08-08 02:37:43
    My Score:

    to be completely honest i was disappointed. Sorry guys. but normally i like fftl.. but this album i wasn't feeling.

    Posted by emoskater on 2006-07-08 01:58:54
    My Score:

    ANONYMOUS IS A DUMBFUCK LITTLE BITCH . man you dont know anyting about the bands you talk trash about you have bad taste in music man you probably listen to death cab for cutie or foo fighters quit hating on such good bands you dumb homo.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 7, 2006 at 7:47 PM (EDT)

    hey dumb fuck listening to maiden & zepplin doesnt mean you have music iQ it means you should be ashamed of yourself for listening to fftl and, plus you could of at least Metallica & Sabbath instead

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 2, 2006 at 5:09 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I loved Dear Diary, but this cd lacks the punch it had, theres just no standout tracks really. Where as Dear Diary had plenty of tracks where Icould go "dude, you have to hear this song." Not a hoorible CD but not as good as Dear Diary

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-05-09 12:53:45

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, April 21, 2006 at 4:10 AM (EDT)

    crazyteledo are you fucked in the head the new hawthorne heights cd was horrible are you fucking kidding me i like aiden sort of but fftl is soo much better whats wrong with your ears and dont tell me you know what rock is because i have every maiden album on the planet earth and every zeppelin so dont fuckign even start alright leave up and coming bands alone for fucks sake-


    Hmm... Maybe it's because while Hawthorne Heights are bad they can craft a few catchy songs. Two at the most, but it's pop/emo and if your expecting anything more than that's your fault. I don't like Hawthorne Heights, but at least they aren't so 'image driven.' And image aisde, Aiden is at least listenable compared to From First to Last. Wil's a horrible vocalist but he's still leagues above Sonny.

    Now I rather be listening to some Darkest Hour, Between the Buried and Me, or Shadows Fall. I guess the Killswitch Engage I'm listening to now is okay I guess.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-05-09 12:43:36

    I have a name and From FIrst to Last are horrible. I actually liked 'Dear Diar' but I cant saying anything positive about this release after the first two songs. It is bad. Nothing more, nothing less.

    THe lack of originality and/or talent is so obvious here that the band needs to relie on their 'image' to push sales.

    Now that's funny.

    Posted by ilovesonny on 2006-05-02 15:38:09

    If youre going to say something bad about any band then the least you could do is stop being a pussy and just put your fucking nickname on there.

    Posted by ilovesonny on 2006-05-02 15:35:41
    My Score:

    From First To Last is the best band ever. Theyre awesome and if you think that they suck then i guess you just dont know good music when you hear it. They were awesome when they came to Buffalo and most bands arent that great live and theyre awesome both ways. I love you Sonny!!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, April 21, 2006 at 4:10 AM (EDT)

    crazyteledo are you fucked in the head the new hawthorne heights cd was horrible are you fucking kidding me i like aiden sort of but fftl is soo much better whats wrong with your ears and dont tell me you know what rock is because i have every maiden album on the planet earth and every zeppelin so dont fuckign even start alright leave up and coming bands alone for fucks sake-

    Posted by md40_07 on 2006-04-19 19:23:19

    okay Aiden is NOT better than FFTL...i hate them both but Aiden is a wanna be MCR and MCR is just mediocore in the first place...i'd take any band over a second rate MCR.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-04-16 12:22:31

    Aiden is better than From First to Last...

    Even Hawthorne heights...

    There I said it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 at 12:49 PM (EDT)

    While it has it's moments i still don't think this band as hit its stride with heroine. They have so much potential and the product still isn't that great. But I like the experimental elements and I'm willing to give them some time to work their sound out.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, April 8, 2006 at 12:41 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    OMG this Cd Freakin rox if you dont have it then go out and buy it

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-04-04 13:59:20

    So why is that all the 'secnesters' call the Punknews crowd 'emo kids.'

    Idiots.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, April 1, 2006 at 11:14 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    great album
    experimental just the way i like it

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 31, 2006 at 10:45 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    This album is so much more mature than the first.
    and i think sonny's vocals are breathtaking.
    from first to last is one of the greatest bands out there right now.
    i cant go one day without listening to heroine.
    im addicted.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 31, 2006 at 10:33 PM (EST)

    Yall are all gay yall al know from first to last is the best band in the world u fags ur just mad cause there dead sexy and yall are all stupid emo kids who need a life so by the way im shure if u mad a cd it would suck even more so back off of fftl because they rock u idots !! i love them !! i hate yall all !!

    love danielle

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 30, 2006 at 1:43 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    omg FFTL kicks so much ass. i love sonny`s voice in "mothersound" FFTL just may be the best band in the universe!!!!

    Posted by md40_07 on 2006-03-29 18:22:10

    Bad Religion, Pennywise and....hmmmm...all I know is there shitty bands highly outnumber there good ones

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 at 12:26 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I love fftl music, so it's no surprise that I love this album. It's different in a way but it's still awesome and even though this album just came out I can't wait for the next.

    Posted by Godfather on 2006-03-28 02:48:03
    My Score:

    hahaah, i can't believe that travis guy would admit to being in this band haahahahahaha

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 27, 2006 at 8:36 PM (EST)

    FUhaters loves smoking COCK!

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 27, 2006 at 7:37 PM (EST)

    fuhaters has to be joking

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 27, 2006 at 3:18 PM (EST)

    How old is this band? 15...16? They don't stand out from any akward teen metalcore band that plays a highschool show.

    Oh, and FUnhaters: I was almost positive you were joking and satirizng the average From first to last fan/friend/band member. In the case that you aren't, turn off your Ipod alarm, and fucking kill yourself, or quit bitching. I would be depressed if I listened to horrible music too.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-27 11:33:47

    Epitaph has mabye 3 good bands and I wouldn't consider this one of them

    God do you annoy me. What are those 3 bands to you? Matchbook Romance, Sage Francis, and I Am Ghost.

    Once you count that Epitaphs his licensed a lot of Burnig Heart Cds for American release, Epitaph has a crap load of good bands (and past bands): Refused, Millencolin, Ten Foot Pole, Deviates, Osker, Pulley, Bad Religion, Pennywise, etc.

    You suck.

    Posted by Mr_Streetcore on 2006-03-27 10:10:29
    My Score:

    i don't even need to listen to this albumn to know that it is frightfully terrible. to hell with this band and to hell with epitah!

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 10:11 PM (EST)

    I thought the melodic guitar work just came across perfect.....for me to POOP ON!

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 6:16 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Three stars? Fuck this review. This CD isn't even worth one listen.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 3:50 PM (EST)

    i'd like to say that personally i really like this album..and the last one which, just to clear it up, almost the whole dear diary album was based on the movie 'heathers'...and even if the crows are coming for us sounds quite a bit like cemetery drive by mcr..i think its a good album...

    and i like sonny's voice....

    Posted by rkl on 2006-03-26 03:48:06

    melodic metalcore = shitty version of iron maiden with more distortion on the vocals?
    seriously, genre overkill is exploding.
    this shit is metal. it snot any core.

    Posted by md40_07 on 2006-03-25 23:35:02

    Sonny's voice just annyos the hell out of me..and when I watch the video for "Note To Self" I just wanna punch the shit out of him. Epitaph has mabye 3 good bands and I wouldn't consider this one of them

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-25 23:33:07

    Skaboom- if you really hate this music so much then why the hell do you take time out of your "important" little life to go and insult them???

    It takes the average user only a mere 10-15 seconds to click the link to the review and type a 'they suck' message.

    Once you consider that it's night and there's nothing really major many people could be doing, then killing 15 seconds on a single post really isn't wasting your life.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-25 23:31:47

    And seriousely if you hate a band then why may i ask would you even listen to their music?? The only reason you people are like that is because you are jealouse because they are trying to make something of themselves and being successful with it and i bet that 99.9% of you haters go around trash-talking talented bands only because you know that if you tried to do what they do you would probably fall on your ass and give up.

    First off, not everyone knows their going to hate it before they listen to it. Second, your statement is plain wrong because it can made towards any band (or even any thing as a show, drawing, movie). ALmost anything music is an established art or form of entertainment and if people can't have their own opinion on it, then music becomes literally pointless in some aspects.

    And you say their show is"disappointing"? dissapointing my ass. I've been to like 6 shows and they are one of the most energetic and UNdisappointing bands that are out there. Also , when a band like FFTL goes out and puts the work into an album and works insanely hard on it.... for you haters to go and be like "oo this band sucks" is fucking mean!

    So now we're all meanies? Aren't you a meanie for calling me mean. And pssh, I rather go see Darkest Hour or BTBAM.

    Posted by FUhaters on 2006-03-25 22:45:32

    Skaboom- if you really hate this music so much then why the hell do you take time out of your "important" little life to go and insult them??? yeah answer me that......and if you think that fftl is bad music you are a homo and um dont insult me for liking them because there are way more lovers of this band than there will EVER be of haters ............think about that

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 25, 2006 at 10:43 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Well... the only good thing about this CD is the fact that they stole the name from Kurt Cobains Diary. The name for his alter ego who was a HEROIN addict, etc.

    So, this vote is for Kurt Cobain.

    The end.

    Posted by skaboom on 2006-03-25 22:29:40

    Fuhaters - If, five years down the line, you promise to stop listening to bad music, I will pretend I did not just read that. People are ENTITLED to their own opinion, negative or positive. The majority of us here do not like this kind of music. Don't take it personally.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 25, 2006 at 7:45 PM (EST)

    Praise Jesus, FFTL saved that shit heads life!

    MOSH for Jesus!

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 25, 2006 at 6:43 PM (EST)

    I knew this band sucked really hard when they opened for Bad Religion in Las Vegas and the guitarist introduced a "song" by saying, "this song is for everyone out there who's *strrraaannge." Dude, could you be more specific?

    Posted by Fuhaters on 2006-03-25 17:47:20

    I have A LOT to say to all the From First To Last haters commenting here.

    OK first of all i want to say a big !!!FUCK YOU!! to all you stupid asshole haters who go around thinking you know everything going "ooh fuck this band...." because you all suck. And seriousely if you hate a band then why may i ask would you even listen to their music?? The only reason you people are like that is because you are jealouse because they are trying to make something of themselves and being successful with it and i bet that 99.9% of you haters go around trash-talking talented bands only because you know that if you tried to do what they do you would probably fall on your ass and give up.

    And you say their show is"disappointing"? dissapointing my ass. I've been to like 6 shows and they are one of the most energetic and UNdisappointing bands that are out there. Also , when a band like FFTL goes out and puts the work into an album and works insanely hard on it.... for you haters to go and be like "oo this band sucks" is fucking mean!

    I know. everyone is "intitled to their opinion" and stuff....but i am never ever ever ever ever ever going to stop likeing From First To Last and supporting them because i owe my life to them. What happened (in short) is that my life seriousely got so bad that i couldn't deal anymore so anyways......... i was about to do myself in when the alarm on my iPod went off and " The One Armed Boxer vs. The Flying Guillotine" started playing and it saved me ........ so i owe my life to their music.

    So MY opinion on this record is that it is amazing....from the vocals to matt's guitar everything has gotten way better. you can totally tell that the band is progressing with each record and working really really hard. I love what they did with sonny's singing and how they were able to show how much they've all improved in every single song and how this record has a more darker and intense sound.I cant find a single song i dont like. SOOOOO Psyched for the concert April.9th.

    One last thing......................just so you know little hater people.....for every 1 hater there is about maybe like 150 fans ...............so basically if all the FANS and all the HATERS had a pillow fight......................the fans would toatlly beat the haters by like 9257983468568935245723609356394538423651299 times

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 25, 2006 at 10:10 AM (EST)

    Bands like FFTL are killing music one day at a time...

    thanks epitaph!

    Posted by Godfather on 2006-03-25 06:32:30
    My Score:

    this band fucking sucks

    Posted by tigersuit on 2006-03-25 01:04:52

    post hardcore? oh like COC and ADIBAW? sweeeeeeet

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-24 22:55:12

    and i would not be surprised if that was really Travis. that kid is a fucking internet hax0r nerd for surrrre.

    And apparently they like to lock threads on their official forum if a links to a review giving a 3/10.

    This also made my day : Awesome finally a great review. Straight from the thread that linked to APs 7.7/10 review.

    Posted by Dusticles on 2006-03-24 15:58:32

    I would rather stuff my own balls down my throat

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 24, 2006 at 3:00 PM (EST)

    ...and hold on... Isnt ROSS ROBINSON the man who helped make famous bands like Limp Bizkit, Vanilla Ice (the nu metal rebirth), and fucking Amen?

    Yeah.. groundbreaking? I hardly doubt it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 24, 2006 at 2:59 PM (EST)

    yeah fuck this band and the trendy-horse they rode in on. im 100% sure that this is probably one of the only screamo bands i can say is WORSE than Aiden.

    blood. black. make up. scary hair. singing. screaming. blah blah, same shit different name.

    and i would not be surprised if that was really Travis. that kid is a fucking internet hax0r nerd for surrrre.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 24, 2006 at 2:10 PM (EST)

    The band's appearance is mentioned twice. Once in the first paragraph, and once in the last. Everything else is about the music. Eat shit naysayers.

    Posted by skaboom on 2006-03-23 22:32:48

    Travis - The idiot reviewer happens to be one of the administrators for this site. Trust me, none of the regular commenters would be near as nice to your new record. Mars Volta ripoffs with terrible Gerard Way vocal stylings does not make a groundbreaking record.

    How can you criticize someone for how you look? Well it's quite easy. If you go out of your way to have such an obscenely trendy image, it is to be noticed. I guess some of your fans like it. Some people don't. If you dressed in t-shirts and (mens) jeans and say one of you happened to be really weird looking, it would be unfair to judge the band because of that. But when you look like that, you do it to be talked about. Don't play the victim. And don't be a dick, you're no fucking rock star.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 7:26 PM (EST)

    oMg DonT hAtE oN tHeM cUz TheRe sUcCesSfUl AnD Ur Nawt LOLZ

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 6:52 PM (EST)

    TERRIBLE gimmic. If it's not a gimmic, then their appreance (at least the singers) is god awful. I will never give this band a chance.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-23 18:41:46

    Travis
    P.S. Im in the fucking band and i think i would rather them gave us negative stars then to have this idiot joke of a writer embarrass himself and his generation by typing this diarrhea blog-esk "review"


    Irony of all ironies in my mind.

    Why is it people only go out and say a reviewer is a horrible writer if they don't happen to agree with what the review says? If the reviewer did the same review but they agreed with it, they'd say good review.

    You have to accept the fact that people have different opinions and just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't make them wrong or there opinions retarded.

    Your opinions shouldn't be the opinions of everyone elses.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-23 18:38:58

    You know, I actually lliked 'Dear Diary...' While it had too much filler, it had 5-6 good songs and could have made a killer EP.

    Either way, alls FFTL would have to do to be a better band was give Sonny the boot, lay off the image, and then they'd actually have the chance to be a really good band.

    Either way, I read in AP that they might not send out press copies to reviewers until after release date, but this still wound up on the bit torrents and p2p networks at least a week before release.

    I really laughed at that!

    Posted by ElVaquero on 2006-03-23 18:18:01

    He's in the band, let it go. Sure they can't take criticism, but jumping down their collective throats won't do much but strengthen their resolve against this site.

    Look, I'm one of the people responsible for first attacking the band but a sense of decorum is always awesome for debate, even if they can't hold it up themselves.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-23 17:58:34

    Hey mister FFTL street team member, he gave you 3 fuckling stars, so shut it.

    3 stars = Good

    You say he ripped apart your band, while you proved the FFTL fan base; literally.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 5:53 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    haha this is the dumbest review i have ever heard. you talk about our looks more than the music...what a joke.
    lets give it up for toolbag 9000 everyone.
    Travis
    P.S. Im in the fucking band and i think i would rather them gave us negative stars then to have this idiot joke of a writer embarrass himself and his generation by typing this diarrhea blog-esk "review"

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 4:32 PM (EST)

    I don't know, the Japanese music scene is kind of weird.

    Bands definitely form mostly to fit into genres. I've never been there, but I've read quite a bit about it. According to the guy from Code 13, their underground scenes are so split up that it's kind of pointless (no crust kids at a hardcore show, no hardcore kids listen to crust, noise rock kids don't hang out with punks, etc.).

    I'm not going to say that Japanese music sucks, because a lot of it rules, but it seems like a lot of Japanese kids just kind of take after Western culture and mimmick in a cartoon way that ends of creating a lot of divide amongst their "scenes." And a lot of useless copycat music made for the sake of just copying what's cool over here.

    -Will

    Posted by ElVaquero on 2006-03-23 16:28:12

    Also, I'd be quite curious as to what you have to say personally about the subject and in defense of the band. Not trying to put you on the spot, I'm just a bit curious on your feelings and what you have to say for them.

    All in the name of good and friendly debate!

    Posted by ElVaquero on 2006-03-23 16:22:26

    Starbolt/Brett -
    I will agree with you that it is hard to get out of the mindset of the band's image and the style of music they play (or at least used to play). But I think when a band places so much emphasis on the image they project not only through their bodies and faces, but the image through the music, it's not music for the sake of music any more.

    I've seen the same thing happen in Japan. A lot of the independent music scene is crowded by bands that place much more emphasis on imagery and "spookiness/androgeny" than on the music they play and as a result it's rather empty and inevitably tied to the crock image they've taken on. It's thankfully dying out there now and I hope the same thing happens in the punk scene here. When I see and hear a band like this, I can't remove myself from the image they're putting out BECAUSE they tie it so strongly to the music and I think it suffers for that reason.

    The image is false and shallow and smacks strongly of everything that hardcore in the 80's was started as a backlash to. I'm not saying they are quite as bad as a band like Avenged Sevenfold who want to return to that hair metal period very literally, but I still can't find myself enjoying a group whose image is so schlocky. That's not to say that I don't enjoy a number of bands who employ imagery and fashion to aid their music, but the fashion as a dominant part of the music needs to stop. Especially when that sense of fashion is so representative of so many things wrong with "the scene" and today's youth culture.

    I can't see this band making anything even resembling a positive contribution to music, the scene, or really anything outside a handful of kids addicted to Myspace.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-23 10:50:12

    1/2 *star* reviews

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-23 10:43:38

    Posted by inagreendase on 2006-03-22 23:58:38

    When was the the last time a staff writer gave an album a bad review? I guess you don't want the gravy train of free stuff to stop???


    I think they wanted 1/2 stare reviews that completly ripped the bands apart and stated nothing good about the release.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 10:24 AM (EST)

    sympathy for the record industry is one of the most underrated labels...

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 8:03 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    ive got nothing to say...
    just another shitty band from epitaph
    ..well..not another..this one is even worst than the others

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 7:30 AM (EST)

    starbolt is a real fun guy

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 4:34 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Now that Brett owns Fat Possum maybe he'll release something great.......like the next Deadboy & the Elephantmen album, instead of pop garbage like FFTL

    Posted by Starbolt on 2006-03-23 03:54:32
    My Score:

    This record is a brilliant tour de force. Quite possibly to the most important musical statement to come out of the scene to date. You kids are blinded by your prejudice.

    Posted by inagreendase on 2006-03-22 23:58:38

    When was the the last time a staff writer gave an album a bad review? I guess you don't want the gravy train of free stuff to stop???

    Right, because I didn't slam Hawthorne Heights, Action Action, We Are the Fury, and the Prize Fight all within the last month.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at 11:24 PM (EST)

    this is actually a better buy than my chem cd/dvd that came out the same day. i bought the new ben harper and sounds cds instead, and im better because of it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at 11:13 PM (EST)

    Mr. Brett back in bed with Warner Bros.

    Posted by burningfeeetman on 2006-03-22 22:47:16

    I actually like this a lot. I liked a few songs off of their last cd. I thought they really hit the nail on the head with over-dramatic mall screamo.

    Anyways, this is better than that. The lyrics can get kinda crappy at times, but the music is pretty damn good.

    Posted by Inspection12e on 2006-03-22 14:10:03

    ""The last album was supposed to be making a mockery of the scene. It was a joke at the scene."

    That very well may be, but if the joke gets lost as badly as it did on just about everyone, it's the band that ends up looking like a bunch of clowns.

    I also saw the lead singer once, in person. I'm about 5'3/5'4, and it was pretty hard to tell if I was shorter or not. I hope that he grew a bit since then."

    Sexist. You wouldn't say anything about a girl being short.

    -Will

    jaxkid smells

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-22 14:06:31

    Anchors still brings the hate.

    Posted by homie on 2006-03-22 12:56:25
    My Score:

    I agree with theotherscott way at the bottom. When was the the last time a staff writer gave an album a bad review? I guess you don't want the gravy train of free stuff to stop???

    Posted by Dante3000 on 2006-03-22 12:15:17

    I'm still waiting on my promo copy to arrive, so I can listen to it 12 times before I judge this band (read as: probably never going to voice an opinion).
    -Dante

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at 12:03 PM (EST)

    i friken well hate it!
    I ignore you...

    So tell me: My space profile, tattoed to the wrist, old slayer t.-shirts from ebay, make up and shitty music...what kinda music does such a band play?? Corrrrrrrrrrrrrrect...i hope this shit ends as soon as possible

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at 11:02 AM (EST)

    I friken well love it!!!!!!!!!!!!
    ignor the other comments

    Posted by omfgfaggotry on 2006-03-22 04:30:53

    didnt that wierd dude from LIMP BIZKIT play bass on this record? no thanks, brah.

    Posted by Sick_Nick on 2006-03-22 01:54:38

    Im organizing a beat down for that little annoying fuck who fronts this band.... anyone intrested let me know.....

    Posted by ClicheMyHeart on 2006-03-21 23:30:00
    My Score:

    i wanted to hate this record and say its polluting the music scene. And in a sense its true just with the whole image they kinda project, but the fact is this record isn't that bad. Musically it has many cool moments and compared to their last album this album has them actually finding a more matured sound even if its not totally original. But then again i didnt expect even this out of From first to last so i am pleasantly suprised. When is circle takes the square gonna release a new album thats what im waiting for

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 11:19 PM (EST)

    meh.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 11:04 PM (EST)

    Rumor has it these jokers signed a multi million dollar deal with
    Capitol Records, someones going to lose their job for signing this pile of steaming mullet turds...

    Posted by iconoclast on 2006-03-21 22:51:35

    how can mr. brett possibly like this shit?

    Posted by tylerdurden8136 on 2006-03-21 22:51:27

    wow. i thought this review was a joke at first.

    i listened to this once and thought it was the worst thing i had ever heard.

    and let me admit this, yes, i fucking enjoyed most of dear diary...so shoot me. please.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 10:50 PM (EST)

    boring.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 9:41 PM (EST)

    I just had an interesting thought with no point at all about this make-up talk

    John Lennon and Yoko did all that work to denounce make-up and then, forty or so odd years later, this so called "scene" appears and we're back where we started

    I don't care if they where make-up or not, but thinking of John Lennon makes me wants to burn this record
    however:

    John Lennon > From First to Last > Yoko Ono

    Yoko still loses in the end

    Posted by Scruffy on 2006-03-21 21:33:54

    "Since when do you have to be scene to wear make up?"

    I didn't say make-up was scene, I just insinuated that it was stupid, which it is (at least to the degree they do it).

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 9:31 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    it's just a bad album, musically and.....vocally

    at least on the last record Sonny had some edge in his singing, on this record he was so focused on his newfound "wailing" skills I couldn't make out a word he said and that alone can sink a record

    besides that the music failed to invent or even stir excitement, all I could think of was other songs that were slightly different and a whole lot better

    Posted by somegirl on 2006-03-21 21:15:27

    "The last album was supposed to be making a mockery of the scene. It was a joke at the scene."

    That very well may be, but if the joke gets lost as badly as it did on just about everyone, it's the band that ends up looking like a bunch of clowns.

    I also saw the lead singer once, in person. I'm about 5'3/5'4, and it was pretty hard to tell if I was shorter or not. I hope that he grew a bit since then.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 7:42 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Score is for the singers face

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 6:19 PM (EST)

    Since when do you have to be scene to wear make up?

    Posted by Scruffy on 2006-03-21 17:57:39

    "The last album was supposed to be making a mockery of the scene. It was a joke at the scene."

    You keep telling yourself that. And just ignore all the pictures of them in more makeup than Marilyn Manson.

    Posted by etwiels88 on 2006-03-21 15:47:49

    Album is terrible

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 2:13 PM (EST)

    elVaquero is right, someone needs to end this emo ant metal shit right NOW

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 2:00 PM (EST)

    fart fart fart. fart fart....but seriously, fart fart fart

    tends to sound like fart fart and fart, with obvious influences such as fart, fart and the pnews.org favorite the fart arms.

    in conclusion, if you like fart fart and fart but dont mind a healthy dose of fart in your fart core then pick up fart new release fart.

    paul

    Posted by ElVaquero on 2006-03-21 13:37:43
    My Score:

    Yeah the record may be not so terrible as the people in the band, but I think we, as a community, do need to stamp this shit out. I'm not all tough guy or keep-it-in-the-scene, but this really does need to stop.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 1:30 PM (EST)

    "Does anyone realize that "Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count" is a line from the movie Heathers (Wynona Rider, Christian Slater)? Its a pretty funny line too, but somehow, taken out of context, it seems that FFTL has missed the point."

    Not really. The last album was supposed to be making a mockery of the scene. It was a joke at the scene. This album is good. I wish people would listen to it instead of automatically pigeonholing this band in with other bands. Whatever.

    Posted by sickboi on 2006-03-21 13:12:53

    My bad, dogg.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 1:05 PM (EST)

    Sickboi-

    I know this, I was talking about the Velvets song.

    -Will

    Posted by sickboi on 2006-03-21 12:59:37

    Kirby and P-Fresh are like Beavis and Butthead. I'm not even joking, I've seen it in person.

    Posted by kirbypuckett on 2006-03-21 12:54:50

    Kirby Puckett: ya know brian gave from frist to last a 6, he's losing it
    The P Fresh: HAHAHA
    The P Fresh: so lets get this down
    The P Fresh: gave fftl a 6
    The P Fresh: doesnt listen to civ
    The P Fresh: takes gym class
    The P Fresh: has unnaturally large hands
    The P Fresh: dude's a freak.
    Kirby Puckett: we've got problems.

    Posted by sickboi on 2006-03-21 12:43:39

    Will-

    "Heroine" is the female version of "Hero".

    Posted by skolarx on 2006-03-21 12:35:59

    i liked the music, vocals not so much

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 12:05 PM (EST)

    "When im rushin' on my run, and i feel just like jesus' son"

    So I wasn't the only one who thought of that. And yeah, I know, it's spelled "Heroin."

    -Will

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 11:38 AM (EST)

    Wow, this is truly HORRIFIC!

    Posted by Since94 on 2006-03-21 11:35:21
    My Score:

    These dudes have wicked side mullets

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-21 10:44:10

    Personally, I might agree if Sonny's vocals weren't some of the worst crap ever.

    And that AP Cover sheet, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHhh! MY EYES!

    Posted by sickboi on 2006-03-21 10:44:08

    I think Brian must have just finished watching the BR dvd when he wrote this. After seeing Mr. Brett playing, he had to try to give the man some credit.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2006-03-21 10:42:22

    THIS CD IS A FKING EAR BLEEDET!

    Horrible.

    Posted by benz on 2006-03-21 10:17:24

    They have one song on their last album called "I Liked You Better Before You Were Naked On The Internet" and it sounds like Nine Inch Nails with a pop-punk singer. That song is good. Every other song I've heard by them, not so much.

    -benz

    Posted by jamalxbearings on 2006-03-21 09:52:12
    My Score:

    How can one not like this Wes Borland played bass on some of the tracks.

    Score is for Limp Bizkit.

    Posted by elliot on 2006-03-21 09:39:31

    well, here's the problem with these guys......

    they suck really, really bad.

    so....it's kinda hard to get past that.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 8:51 AM (EST)

    i saw this band live once and wanted to kill the singer...other than that i don't know anything much about them

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 8:14 AM (EST)

    Boy sets fire comes out today

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 7:48 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    boy this shit bores the hell outta me

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 6:29 AM (EST)

    where's the boy sets fire review?

    Posted by swingline on 2006-03-21 06:17:23

    "and i guess that i just don't know, and i guess that i just don't know"

    Posted by dolorBrigand on 2006-03-21 04:58:54

    This album is horrible, I listened to it all the way through and not once did I stop to repeat any part of it. Simply because nothing stood out-

    Posted by almostpunkenough on 2006-03-21 04:34:13

    the fact taht you gave this a 6 maes me almost want to check it out. i have a bad feeling it's like the first one though, which would mean it's godawful.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 4:27 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    this is so bad

    Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2006-03-21 04:05:14
    My Score:

    Whoa, did you just describe a song as "jello biafra wailing over cave in like space rock"?

    Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2006-03-21 04:03:30
    My Score:

    How can anyone, everywhere, no matter age, race, personal opinion, sexual perference or intelligence level sing along to "I can't eat anything without shoving my hands down my throat" with a straight face?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 3:24 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    this sucks

    Posted by Godfather on 2006-03-21 02:48:35
    My Score:

    score is for epitaph in 5 years...

    fuck it, score is for them right now

    Posted by Cos on 2006-03-21 02:42:04

    Does anyone realize that "Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count" is a line from the movie Heathers (Wynona Rider, Christian Slater)? Its a pretty funny line too, but somehow, taken out of context, it seems that FFTL has missed the point.

    --Cos

    Posted by kozaihod on 2006-03-21 02:27:16
    My Score:

    This CD is quite good, I can enjoy some of the songs there. The mix of metalcore riffs'n'sounds somewhat lyrical vocal is good. I like this CD much more than the former one (what was it's title again?), because it's not a one-hit-song record. Yup, it's a NO-HIT-RECORD, but that's because all of the songs are equally decent, have a similar pace, and not even one is standing up.

    Also, nice review.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 1:53 AM (EST)

    ive given these guys a few because they have a damn good drummer but i can never listen to more than 2/3 songs then start to get bored

    Posted by aubin on 2006-03-21 01:29:52

    They're getting better at what they do; that's worth saying.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 1:11 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Ok Record. The band is not my favorite in the world, but the only one I've heard playing this kind of music that I thought was worth anything. Kill me.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 1:09 AM (EST)

    "When im rushin' on my run, and i feel just like jesus' son"

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 12:55 AM (EST)

    im drunk and i hate this fucking band

    Posted by colin on 2006-03-21 00:37:52

    horrible music.

    Posted by jaxkid1 on 2006-03-21 00:21:35

    Eh, atleast you're honest.

    Posted by the_other_scott on 2006-03-21 00:15:11

    just out of curiosity. when was the last time Brian, Justin, Aubin, or Adam (or scott for that matter) gave a record a really shitty review?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 12:14 AM (EST)

    Worst band ever.