Review Summary: Proof that sometimes less is more, and change is good. FFTL loses a member, changes labels, and puts out their best work.
If albums are true indicators of growth, then then
From First to Last (FFTL) has grown-up alot since the release of their self-titled effort. Their fifth effort is their strongest, as
Throne to the Wolves is an album with a theme rather than just a collection of songs made around the same time. The songs and musicianship on this album are such an improvement from the last album. Throne to the Wolves ditches (some of) the traditional formats and song lengths found on previous albums. 'Chyeaa' is barely a minute long, and has no chorus (or verse, depending on how you want to look at it.). While 'The Soft War' is almost more interlude then song, it also has no recognizable format. It seems to be more of a transition into 'Now That You're Gone,' the longest track on the album. This is not to say that the album doesn't use traditional formats, songs like 'Going Lohan' and the album opener 'Cashing Out' follow the Verse/Chorus/Verse format. 'You, Me, and the Significant Others' is almost radio friendly.
Lyrically, this album stands out more than the last two efforts of FFTL. The lyrical themes of rejection, anger and opposition to mainstream media is not a ground-breaking one, but it is in the way they approach each topic that makes it different from other releases. The band pokes fun at themselves in 'Cashing Out,' and 'Elvis Said Ambition is a Dream with a V8 Engine,' as well as at a certain celebrity on 'Going Lohan.' Vocalist Matt Good has a passionate, albeit cynical tone throughout the album. Fortunately, his singing has improved, and he can still hit high notes without getting too nasally/whiny But is the growls/screams that have changed the most. Good, along with bass player Matt Manning have balanced the growls/screams nicely on this album, a balance that was missing on their last effort.
The tonal quality of the album differs from song to song. 'Chyeaa' could have been on a TDWP album, and 'GRITS' could have been on their Self-Titled album. The guitar work is fresh, the riffs are well crafted, and the solo in 'Going Lohan' is very technical and structurally sound. Matt Good and Blake Steiner work well together, and there is a good push and pull in the mix. Derek Bloom and Matt Manning hold the rhythm section together well, keeping some of the crazier songs from going too far off the map.
The band as a whole seems to be working alot better as a whole as four members, which in some ways could be attributed to the maxim 'Less is More.' However, this album does have its flaws. It could be argued that some of the songs are fillers, and having filler songs on a album that is about 35 minutes long is a bit of a letdown, especially for the fans that had been waiting for the album's release. 'The He Man Woman Hatred Club' is borderline immature when Matt Good begins screaming 'What the F***?' in the middle of the song. While this song is one of the songs that could be left off the album, the biggest problem with the album lays not with the songs themselves, but with the production. The album seems to be densely compressed, as if to sound more like a live album. But it's too produced to sound that way either. The production value of the album is not as good as Self-Titled or Heroine, but that can be pushed aside for the simple fact that the songs are better. Overall, this album is not unlike anything you've heard before, but it does attempt to do it in a different way.
