Last Perfection-Drawing Conclusions
United Edge Records-UXE023-2004
By Josh Phillips
New York based Last Perfection began their career in 2001 and released their first album, Violent Solutions For a Violent World, in 2003. Drawing Conclusions is the follow up to that release and although this band may be described as metalcore, they bring a lot more to the table than one would expect. Utilizing brutal, groovy riffs with the occasional melodic run, vocals that are more akin to death metal than hardcore and a full, hard-hitting production, courtesy of Kurt Ballou of Converge, Last Perfection are certainly engineering their own sound. Ballou also makes a guest appearance on this 30 minute blast of energy.
Opening with the one minute track entitled "The Inception", Last Perfection wastes no time in acquainting the listener with their brand of heavy music. Mid-paced pummeling riffs accompanied by a dissonant guitar melody build up and blend into "Everyone is a Poet", the second piece. We are immediately greeted with a dual vocal attack of blackened screeches and deep growls. The band showcases their groove elements shortly with a quick breakdown and midway through we encounter spoken word vocals over melodic riffing. The song wraps up with an acoustic outro, a very nice surprise. "Irony is not the Word" has some great melodic guitar playing throughout and again the production complements the drum rhythms very well. "Walking a Mile in Cement Shoes" is the next highlight. It's a short, thoughtful interlude showcasing excellent cymbal work. A perfect 2 minute break from Last Perfection's usual sound. "Obtuse and Obscure" follows the same formula as past efforts, groove with overlapping melody. "What a Pity" works in much the same way, focusing heavily on the melody as the song begins. Closer, "The Number 5 Looks Like 2" is an entirely instrumental piece that sounds distant and slow, yet hectic like a midnight walk through the slums of a big city. Somewhat schizophrenic, it's actually a very nice piece to end the album on.
Last Perfection is a very solid band overall. The group fuses together a few different styles and highly exceeded my expectations. The drum patterns were something I kept a constant ear on, very well played. The vocal performance was solid, no hardcore yelling, mainly just traditional metal vocals. The guitar grooves and melodies were a highlight and the album overall doesn't have any glaring weakness other than a few of the songs sound a little too similar. All in all, it's a solid piece of work.
7.5/10
Official Last Perfection Website
Official United Edge Records Website
United Edge Records-UXE023-2004
By Josh Phillips
New York based Last Perfection began their career in 2001 and released their first album, Violent Solutions For a Violent World, in 2003. Drawing Conclusions is the follow up to that release and although this band may be described as metalcore, they bring a lot more to the table than one would expect. Utilizing brutal, groovy riffs with the occasional melodic run, vocals that are more akin to death metal than hardcore and a full, hard-hitting production, courtesy of Kurt Ballou of Converge, Last Perfection are certainly engineering their own sound. Ballou also makes a guest appearance on this 30 minute blast of energy.
Opening with the one minute track entitled "The Inception", Last Perfection wastes no time in acquainting the listener with their brand of heavy music. Mid-paced pummeling riffs accompanied by a dissonant guitar melody build up and blend into "Everyone is a Poet", the second piece. We are immediately greeted with a dual vocal attack of blackened screeches and deep growls. The band showcases their groove elements shortly with a quick breakdown and midway through we encounter spoken word vocals over melodic riffing. The song wraps up with an acoustic outro, a very nice surprise. "Irony is not the Word" has some great melodic guitar playing throughout and again the production complements the drum rhythms very well. "Walking a Mile in Cement Shoes" is the next highlight. It's a short, thoughtful interlude showcasing excellent cymbal work. A perfect 2 minute break from Last Perfection's usual sound. "Obtuse and Obscure" follows the same formula as past efforts, groove with overlapping melody. "What a Pity" works in much the same way, focusing heavily on the melody as the song begins. Closer, "The Number 5 Looks Like 2" is an entirely instrumental piece that sounds distant and slow, yet hectic like a midnight walk through the slums of a big city. Somewhat schizophrenic, it's actually a very nice piece to end the album on.
Last Perfection is a very solid band overall. The group fuses together a few different styles and highly exceeded my expectations. The drum patterns were something I kept a constant ear on, very well played. The vocal performance was solid, no hardcore yelling, mainly just traditional metal vocals. The guitar grooves and melodies were a highlight and the album overall doesn't have any glaring weakness other than a few of the songs sound a little too similar. All in all, it's a solid piece of work.
7.5/10
Official Last Perfection Website
Official United Edge Records Website
