BAND: THE LAST REMARK
ALBUM: FIGHT TO LIVE
RELEASE DATE: JULY 3, 2014
LABEL: PH@ AIDAN RECORDS
GENRE: GLAM THRASH
RATING: 9/10
After years of demos and singles that didn’t quite capture the band’s energetic live sound, The Last Remark has unveiled its full length debut, Fight to Live. From start to finish, the album is a frantic blend of thrash and glam metal, mixed with metalcore and classic rock influences. The Last Remark is “Proud to Be Ashamed,” but of what? There is very little to be ashamed of on Fight to Live.
A rerecorded version of the band’s first single, “Throwing Stones,” starts the album off, a mixture of metal verses and soaring classic rock choruses. That structure about sets the theme for the album. Fight to Live is a collision between the past and the present. Influences from a range of genres can be heard, but the way that the influences are fused creates the band’s unique brand of metal, which its members promote as “glam thrash.”
Fans of fancy fretwork will not be let down by guitarist Bryan Rolli’s performance on the album. Songs like “Throwing Stones,” “D.S.A.” “Resolution,” and “Proud to Be Ashamed” have solos that would make the 80’s smile. The guitar intro to “Resolution” is equally impressive because of its haunting sound.
The bass on Fight to Live is heard loud and proud and is one of the album’s strongest points. Raymond Figueroa’s playing coupled with Nick “The Animal” Salerno’s tight drumming creates a groovy, thunderous at times, backdrop to the album. Songs like “Vessel” have breakdowns that could find themselves at home on a beatdown hardcore track and the rhythm section gives “Resolution” heaviness to complement its sinister introduction.
Vocal duties are split between Rolli and Figueroa as cleans and screams, respectively. Rolli has a definitive tone to his voice, power that tends to be absent in many current releases, but there are times when his voice feels heavy with effects, taking away from an otherwise strong performance. Figueroa’s screams are loud and powerful, yet always well annunciated and never hard to understand. Gang vocals also make an appearance on the album, such as on “Fight to Live,” “D.S.A.” and “Rapture,” contributing to the album’s large sound.
Lyrically, Fight to Live is an album of hope and inspiration. Some lyrics deal with the idea of faith, many are easily relatable to anyone going through a struggle. Songs like “Vessel” remind listeners that they are never alone, while “Fight to Live” is an anthem to the struggles that people face on a daily basis. No track on the album feels out of step with the themes on Fight to Live.
Fight to Live is just one of those albums without a bad song on it, and there’s something for everyone to be found on the Philadelphia rockers’ debut. The album is full of slamming breakdowns, breakneck speeds, memorable riffs, catchy lyrics, and intricate solos. Fight to Live may not be the norm for a metal band in 2014, but The Last Remark owns its individuality, putting out one of the best debut LPs in recent memory.
Catch The Last Remark on the Fight to Live tour this summer!
7/5 Chaplin’s – Spring City, PA
7/8 CS3 – Fort Wayne, IN
7/10 The Ritz – Warren, MI
7/11 5th Quarter – Indianapolis, IN
7/12 Mickey’s Pub – St. Joseph, MI
7/13 Underground Lounge – Chicago, IL
7/17 Smoke & Barrel – Fayetteville, AR
7/18 Railhead Saloon – Lawton, OK
7/19 The Grotto – Fort Worth, TX
7/20 Red Eye Fly – Austin, TX
7/22 The Nick – Birmingham, AL
7/23 Smith’s Old Bar – Atlanta, GA
7/24 Soho Bar – Columbus, GA
7/25 Culture Reggee Club – Baton Rouge, LA
7/26 A&M Theater – Panama City, FL
7/27 Emporium – Jackson, TN
7/30 Ultimate Basement – Spindale, NC
7/31 Daisy Duke’s – Nashville, TN
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