Lineup change for a band can impact their musicianship and when looking back at the band’s history, Dead Trees isn’t a strong comeback album from post-hardcore outfitters From First To Last. Comebacks normally mean power and success but it’s hard to ignore the weak points this album encompasses. Some tracks capture a strong reunion within the band and with new frontman, Spencer Sotelo, there is a grip of substance showing through here but not enough to keep the attention of most listeners. In hindsight, it’s frustrating to see a band with a strong following throw themselves in the back-end.
I think it’s both a flaw and a necessity for bands to be consistent. Not only in their sound but in the way they work together as people in creating their music. From First To Last haven’t had much stability in their lineup and I guess in a way, this has inhibited the band to knuckle down and work together to find what sound they want to project to an audience. For a band to evolve, a thirst for experimentation and avoiding being in the comfort zone are effective ways to survive the music industry. I feel like From First To Last have taken a step backwards in terms of their creativity but in a way, they’re slowly approaching that balance between consistency and experimentation.
The band have changed lead singers three times and from looking at their discography, there’s different sound progressions you can hear through each album. Ex-frontman, Sonny Moore (now known as Skrillex), brought a dark and angsty approach in both Dear Diary and Heroine. Following that, Matt Good brought an atmospheric vibe that channeled different electrifying energies in both their self-titled album and Throne To The Wolves. However, what makes Sotelo’s mark in Dead Treesis his rough way of delivering each song, bringing a progressive metal edge to the post-hardcore band; a quality he adapted from fronting the band Periphery. In here, he brings something to the table that is unique and will eventually blossom with time.
The first two tracks of the album, “Heresy…” and “Straight To The Face” don’t really make sense as it starts off the record to a cluttered start. They seem like fillers to begin with as each track runs for about a minute each through its staggering electric instrumentation and dark tone. Thankfully, the album picks up with “H8 Meh” and “Dead Trees” as both are very upbeat songs in each aggressive element used. Sotelo’s vocals show stellar control with his rough approach in both numbers resonating from both drum and guitar coordination. In this, we see the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly but not for long.
What strikes as disappointing from this record is that some of the tracks were given a lacklustre feel due to unoriginality in structure. “Electrified” churns through Sotelo’s unclean vocals and it almost feels like it’s forced. The song feels really out of place through its repetitive motions of familiar guitar riffs and drum beats that you begin to question whether it’s worth sticking around for the last few songs. Alongside that, “Black & White” feels an unnatural progression with its messy attempt of sounding electrifying through the subtle electronic elements used. Even if Sotelo’s clean vocals bring a pleasant atmosphere in this, the lack of creativity and imbalance in progression rides on thin ice. If they had removed the unnecessary screamo parts, this track would have turned out a lot better. In a way, the mediocre and quality tracks balance each other out but this jeopardises the listening experience entirely. For a band that created such hype with Dead Trees, it feels like a wasted effort knowing that this album wasn’t their best work.
Comebacks are meant to show signs of defeat and unfortunately, Dead Trees struggles to find any sense of winning. However, this record does not symbolise failure in any way and I commend Sotelo for his efforts on bringing a new sound dynamic for the band. I will no doubt think that From First To Last have every potential to sound better in their future records but a lot of work is needed to improve from here.
Review Score: 6.0 out of 10
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Dead Trees available now
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