From First to Last Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
There's a section of rhythmic dissonance at the beginning of "Two as One," the opening track of From First to Last, that commands attention because it feels so off balance. In a way, it's fitting that the album opens in such a jarring, awkward manner, as it seems to be a reflection of the disc as a whole. There's plenty of volatile energy on this self-titled album, but nearly two-thirds of it feels hollow and not as urgent as From First to Last's previous works (Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount and Heroine), an affliction that isn't remedied until the end. Vocalist Matt Good may deliver the lyrics on time and in tune, but he doesn't feel them. It's a lack of passion that extends to the rest of the band as song after song depends on plodding rhythms, uninspired instrumental thrashing, and flat lyrics to get by. (One example, "Worlds Away," depends on a plaintive, repetitious intonation of "on and on and on" to serve as a decent section of the song's chorus.) However, the most frustrating aspect of the album is its own mediocrity -- it isn't bad, but by the time it starts getting good, it's more than halfway completed. The songs on From First to Last that contain the most innovation, the catchiest hooks, and the most vibrancy are relegated to the last part of the album, as if it was all shoved to one side. The result is a disc that drags and gets truly interesting only after it's too late to enjoy it. Starting with "Deliverance" and continuing through "In Memorium in Advance," the final four songs feature more energy than the rest of the album combined; the rhythm section is more limber, the vocals are more melodic and varied (where before it had been the same handful of notes combined with the same set of screams and howls), and the guitars are more aggressive. It begs the question of whether From First to Last's final numbers were the first to be written after Heroine, as they bear far more resemblance to that album than to anything preceding them here. It may have helped to have these pieces spread throughout the album, as it would have prevented it from being crippled by a case of too little, too late. ~ Katherine Fulton, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Whether 2006 stood to be the year that the post-hardcore (i.e., screamo) groups of the new millennium began really shedding their collectively formulaic skin for a more progressive and inventive overcoat still stood to be determined at the release of From First to Last's sophomore effort; after all, it was still only March. However, Heroine -- along with earlier releases from Hawthorne Heights and Matchbook Romance -- suggested that 2006 would find more bands choosing to push the envelope rather than simply rehash their back catalogs. In the two years since their debut full-length, a noticeable maturation has overtaken From First to Last, as Heroine not only reveals distinctly stronger and more confident vocals, but also finds the band placing a greater emphasis on more intricate song arrangements. Gone is the immaturity apparent in some of their past work, both lyrically and sonically (this isn't meant as a slight against the band; after all, most of the guys were in their early twenties and vocalist Sonny Moore was still in his mid-teens for their previous album). Heroine, though, is a dark, somewhat unpredictable album that is reminiscent at times of both the Used and At the Drive-In, but still remains wholly From First to Last. And rather than completely abandon the groundwork laid on Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount, it's nice to see that From First to Last were able instead to use it as the foundation of their growth, exploration, and expansion. Producer Ross Robinson was able to draw out the band's actual heavy side (not just harsh, emotional screams and breakdowns) as heard in Matt Good and Travis Richter's relentless guitar work and Derek Bloom's always impressive drumming coupled with passionate vocals that regularly border on pure distress. "Shame Shame" and "World War Me" are both spastic, metal-influenced blasts of emotion, with the latter owning a borderline playful chorus of "woahs." The subtle yet dynamic "The Crows Are Coming for Us" starts off with steady drum rolls that give way to soaring vocals; mid-song, the tempo slows and creepy background vocals transform into an eerie, chanting chorus. On the softer side, "Waves Goodbye" is the closest to a ballad that one can find on Heroine -- don't even try looking for the brooding, emotive heartbreak of Dear Diary's "Emily" -- though its delicate, atmospheric wandering is interrupted by unnecessary electronic distortion. Taking cues from this song, the second half of the album is a bit more experimental in nature, but thankfully, not so much that there is a glaring divide between both ends of the album. Where many bands simply embrace the tried and true formula of previous efforts -- maybe making songs faster or harder along the way -- From First to Last have instead looked past their own limitations and challenged themselves to make a more developed record. Their hard work paid off, as Heroine is a notable step in the right direction for the band. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
'Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount'
Release Date 6/29/2004
Tracks 12
Label Epitaph
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Since the early 2000s, what's now known as post-hardcore has been consistently codified into something eminently marketable. Screaming bloody murder over churning angular guitars has suddenly salable qualities, as long as the rage is offset by whimpering pianos and heart-flailing harmonies. This systemization isn't necessarily bad, as the groups it affects often make very arresting music. But that doesn't mean the formula itself isn't questionable. In 2004 From First to Last unleashes its first full-length via Epitaph, after debuting with an EP for the tiny New York imprint Four Leaf. And it has the right idea, using dense lyricism and inventively propulsive drumming to separate Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount from the teeming post-hardcore pack. But like so many of its peers, FFTL tempers its fury with oddly soft-focus introspection. Derek Bloom's incredible drumming drives de facto opener "The One Armed Boxer vs. the Flying Guillotine" through its wildly shifting time signatures, and the clipped guitars flail appropriately. "Note to Self," too, incorporates metal pacing and a flurry of double bass kicks. But the dark energy in these introductory tracks dissipates in the carnival synthesizers and music box effects of "I Liked You Better...," which suggests blink-182's awkward dalliance with its serious side. This isn't a slight on From First to Last's emotional fragility -- after all, everybody hurts. But what happened to the rock? Why does the post-hardcore ethos demand milky melancholy as a bed partner to vicious screamo and post-hardcore rhythms? "Thunderstorms could never stop me," the straight acoustic balladry of "Emily" croons. "'Cause there's no one in the world like Emily." Emily, if you're reading this, you really screwed this kid up. Later, he's listening to Morrissey in his car, and deciding self-pity is better than relationship torture. An album title like Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount seems to imply a needling of the very formula, and name-checking the Moz admits how overwrought it can all really be. But From First to Last sounds too sincere in its sadness to be kidding. Luckily, the anger rocks. "Kiss Me, I'm Contagious" chases Diary's tears with cocksure lyrics, stuttering percussion, and raw dual vocals. And "Ride the Wings of Pestilence," despite its needlessly weighty title, is an explosion of great ideas that proves the potential in From First to Last to break the mold wide open. More rock, less schlock! ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
