Full Album Stream: From First To Last - Dead Trees

So one of the newest sections I created was "Full Album Streams".  Not only did this gave folks something to listen to when they are cruising the site (being that the original intention of this site was to acts as a hub to explore), but also a chance for people to explore new artists, new genres, and new albums before deciding to purchase them (also from links on AFGM's site).

Full album streams seem to be a new fad that a lot of internet savvy people are jumping on.  It can be in the form of a Soundcloud widget, a YouTube playlist, or even a single YouTube video.  This often gives record labels a chance to promote new artists and for people to subscribe to their social media pages.  So hopefully this provides you access to some new music, bands, and/or artists.  Cheers!

PS - Feel free to send us an email if you have any albums you think you should be on this list or a new one coming out we missed.  We're always listening!

(Artwork by AFGM.  Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Rising from the ashes, From First To Last is a six piece metal group from Tampa, Florida.  The band has gone through many lineup changes over the years and even disbanded from 2010-2013.  Upon reuniting the band in 2013, the group announced Spenser Sotello (Periphery) as their lead vocalist, and would also see Matt Good, Travis Richter, and Matt Manning back in the lineup as well.

Since 2004, the group has released five studio albums, including the latest one "Dead Trees", which was released on April 27th, 2015 via Sumerian Records.  This also marks the first album featuring Spenser on vocals.

(Album artwork courtesy of FFTL and Sumerian Records)

1. Heresy...

2. Straight To the Face*

3. H8 Meh!

4. Dead Trees*

5. I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

6. Black and White*

7. Back To Hannalei

8. Never In Reverie

9. 2-11*

10. Electrified

11. I Don't Wanna Live In the Real World

12. Note To Self (Bonus Track)

13. Ride the Wings of Pestilence (Bonus Track)

14. The Latest Plague (Bonus Track)

(* = AFGM recommendations)

Much of ‘Dead Trees’ suffers from both self-repetition and its sheer refinement, the band’s attack neutered by squeaky-clean production and a lack of any real menace or sonic bulk. The hooks are enjoyable but rendered unmemorable by the enormous focus placed upon them, and many of the big riff or breakdown sections don’t punch hard enough to make a real impact. Beautiful moments like the extended coda of “Never in Reverie” are dragged out; in contrast, album opener proper “Straight to the Face” collapses in on itself before it can really dig its hooks in. (continued below)

A mixed bag of a comeback then from a group whose return has proven somewhat frustrating in multiple respects. Good and co. still have the chops to knock up a handful of anthemic instant-satisfaction songs to fill out a Warped Tour set, but there’s no real sense of occasion considering how long it’s been since we’ve had a From First to Last album, even with a frontman as gifted as Sotelo in tow. Everyone involved in the creation of ‘Dead Trees’ has put their names to better recordings – it’s a country mile of quality away from the self-titled D.R.U.G.S. album, for one – but considering this looks unlikely to be a full-time project, a return that conjures up more positives than negatives as this one does can probably be marked a success. -Caliber TV