lastcall518 - 8-7-2006 at 08:10 AM
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/showreview...
Troy, New York's LAST CALL formed a decade ago and until receiving the new full-length, "Good Times?Bad Blood", I'd never read or heard a single
thing about the band. Though I can't say that missing out on the group's development these past 10 years has scarred me deeply, I can comfortably
recommend "Good Times?Bad Blood" for any fan of metallic hardcore (metalcore does not really fit here) in the vein of PRO-PAIN. Take Ralph Renna's
Meskil-like vocal delivery, the occasional SLAYERisms of guitarists Boonie and Grant Matot, and a thrashed-up East Coast hardcore vibe, and what you
get are 10 tracks of tough-guy stomp with just enough melody to make many of the songs relatively memorable.
The band's more-metal-than-hardcore aesthetic is not fully unleashed until the third track, "God Can't Hear". The first couple of tracks, "Broken
Promises" and "Through Hollow Hands", do have a little PRO-PAIN crossover thing going on, and the riffing on both songs has a thrash tinge to it. But
it is when the up-tempo buzz-saw riffing of "God Can't Hear" hits that the thrash element reveals itself. Renna's commanding bark will always give the
songs a hardcore feel, but there is more going on guitar-wise than simple hardcore slugs to the gut (though there is a good bit of that as well). "God
Can't Hear" also sports the album's most memorable line ? presumably about revenge for a wrongful death ? in "this time?your god's gonna sit this one
out!" The stomp and circumstance continues on "Once Divided" and "Rusted Gates", both NYHC tough with a sharp metallic edge. Metal-style guitar solos
on "I Thee Bled" and "Battered Heroes" add even more flavor. Along similar lines, album-closer "Wings of the Northforce" not only includes a solo, but
guitar harmonies, including a slightly MAIDEN-esque twin-lead part, and a catchy chorus. A SLAYER breakdown lick toward the end is thrown in for good
measure as well.
With so many bands referring to themselves as "hardcore" or "thrash" as more of a fashion statement than a declaration of allegiance to all that is
heavy, it is nice to hear a band like LAST CALL that at least sounds convincing. Mostly above average, if unoriginal, songwriting doesn't hurt either.
I doubt you'll find these guys wearing eyeliner and girly pants. As always, check out some MP3s, but "Good Times?Bad Blood" is a pretty safe bet.
- Scott Alisoglu
BDx13 - 8-7-2006 at 12:18 PM
nice.
10 years already? man...
Siczine.com - 8-10-2006 at 12:21 PM
One of the more criminally underrated bands.
BKT - 8-10-2006 at 06:28 PM
I fucking love that band. Fucking love them.
MM.