Review Summary: Matt Good and Derek Bloom give From First to Last one more go before the band's hiatus - ultimately proving themselves just before their leave.
From First to Last is a group that had to endure more than the average band: frequent swapping of guitarists, a lawsuit forwarded by one of those guitarists, and - what is usually a harbinger for a fading career - switching singers. But, after all the madness, founding members Matt Good and Derek Bloom (along with adequate newcomers Blake Steiner and Matt Manning) gave the whole music thing one last shot - and it's great that they did, as Throne to the Wolves brings a satisfying, climactic end to their career, which would have otherwise been questionable.
The album, however, is not in any way a perfect one. It kicks off with two songs that are just OK. "Cashing Out" and "Chyeeah!" are filled with some cool ideas thanks to Derek Bloom and Matt Good, (who clearly spearhead the entire record). But, due to some weird design choices - such as hand claps and gangs of people shouting "WOOOH!", they make you wonder if FFTL actually has it in them to put out one last great record.
Fortunately, Matt and co. have a loud and righteous answer in "Elvis Said Ambition is A Ream with A V8 Engine". Here, the greatness of this record shows itself. All of the best songs on this album share much in common with each other in terms of lyrics and all-around musicianship. After all the band had been through, Matt Good probably deserves to let out some steam, and so, he does, in bursts of catharsis embodied as songs like "Elvis"; all over impressive fretwork and jaw-dropping drum parts that make you wonder how this album was so overlooked. This song feels very complete: the guitars are solid, the lyrics are easy to get behind, and the drumming is simply phenomenal (as most of Derek Bloom's underrated work was, just check out the fill at 1:36). The soaring, simple, and anthemic outro says it all: From First to Last was very capable of putting out killer songs.
After "Elvis", the listener enters the real meat of the record and - for a while - it's just hard-hitters from here on. Whether it's the pure and uplifting "G.R.I.T.S." intro, its chorus which shares similar qualities or the varied feelings of "M.O.", Throne to Wolves serves as a perfect outlet for FFTL to prove themselves. There's even the near-perfect "I'll Inoculate the World with the Virus of My Disillusionment", which contends with the aforementioned "Elvis" for the best the album has to offer. It also represents the ambition this band had shown since their sophomore album, Heroine. From the quick and deftly-played guitar intro, to the uplifting gang vocals, to the heavy second verse (where screamer Black Steiner gets to shine) - the song keeps the listener very interested and demonstrates the band's versatility quite well.
Now, I suppose there is something of an elephant in the room: Dead Trees. Does FFTL reuniting (somewhat) and putting out an album arguably worse than their "scenecore" debut (Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count) negate all of the redemption found on this record? Well, no, that's not how music works. However, it is worth noting simply because it shows that all of this album's potential has not been again realized - and maybe, it never will be. Dead Trees really highlights two things: the creativity and influence of Derek Bloom, and the excellency of Throne to the Wolves itself.
In the end, this album is great. While it does falter somewhat towards the beginning and the end (the final two track's use of auto-tune is in some ways tasteful usage of the usually controversial tool, but even so, they fail to reach the heights the album's middle seven songs do), FFTL put out some fantastic post-hardcore here. And that is commendable, considering how often the genre is done ear-wrenchingly wrong. A weak lyric here? Some oddly placed gang vocals there? Sure. But, thanks to Matt Good being careful to deliver a solid performance that never feels forced or oversung, and Derek Bloom's unrelentingly amazing drums...the lukewarm reception the album saw in 2010 is very disappointing. Although, the fact that the band's history likely made it impossible for this record to be successful makes the record all the more interesting.
And fitting. After all, Throne to the Wolves, while certainly a very solid record from a musical standpoint, has a more unique identity: Matt Good and Derek Bloom's final redemptive gasp before laying their consistently unlucky band to rest.
Sleep well.
