From First To Last "Heroine" (Epitaph)
By
Tuesday. May 02, 12:01 AM
Either dead-on satire or forgettable emo.

So what the fuck is up with From First To Last and their second full-length, Heroine? Decked out in ridiculous goth outfits, the kids (with a lead singer not yet 20) play whiny music that is either aimed at a mainstream emo audience or else satirically mocks them. If it is indeed the latter, with lines like “do you know what it’s like to feel ugly all the time?” and “I’m staring in the mirror looking back at the person I hate,” it is not difficult to understand why the irony might be lost on some agonized adolescents. Toward the end of the record comes the completely unexpected track “Waves Goodbye,” a soft, vaguely trippy song which runs nearly seven minutes long and sounds like it belongs in a club rather than on an emo record. So what gives?

The band claim their music to be a unique blend of art-punk, industrial, and post-emo, but essentially Heroine is radio-friendly emo with heavy guitars in black clothing and makeup. The boys from From First To Last draw comparisons to My Chemical Romance for their costumes, and while the music is much heavier and more technically impressive, the painfully whiny vocals are comparable. If From First To Last’s lyrics are steadfast rather than satirical (and it’s awfully difficult to tell), then this record’s only potential saving grace is some occasionally impressive guitar work and the audacity to pull out a song like “Waves Goodbye” and place it in the middle of an otherwise forgettable album.

From First To Last are an intriguing band. They do possess some talent, and as irritating as frontman Scott Moore’s voice might be, many will find themselves humming along to the occasional chorus. “Waves Goodbye” may be a difficult song for the casual rock fan to digest, but upon several listens through, the listener develops an appreciation for it.

But the joke’s up, kids: are you a whiny emo band or just a parody? And if Heroine is but a satirical take on the state of modern music today, then when do we get to hear the real From First To Last?
www.fromfirsttolast.com
www.epitaph.com

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Simon Neuwelt-Broder

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