Energy. Intense energy from every note and every single beat. Letlive is a band that knows how to be hardcore and catchy at the same time, bringing tunes that could get stuck in your head for months without being banal.
This band strays from the ordinary concept of music, and there’s honestly no band I’m able to compare them too. They’re really unique and with this new album “The Blackest Beautiful” they managed to build something extremely rough with some even mainstream potential, despite being really high quality music.
The opening track and first single “Banshee (Ghost Frame)” is the perfect example of what I’m talking about! It packs irresistible energy dispersed in every single moment of the song and a chorus that you just can’t refuse to love. It may sound a bit strange at a first listen if you’re not used to the band, but through an open-minded approach you’ll probably start to listen to it again and again and again. And that’s the best part of it. Letlive’s energy is damn addictive! At first you think it’s nice and strange, but as you slowly start to listen to it more and more you’ll soon realize you need it!
I personally kinda underrated this band so far, but this album definitely conquered me. It’s able to satisfy a lot of tastes. From the lovers of post-hardcore to the most TRVE metalheads, from the punk audience to the most exacting experimental rock and metal experts that can’t deny the quality, the originality of Letlive’s musical research. You’ll find rough hardcore attacks in songs like “Empty Evils” or the final track “27 Club” and songs with more of a punk attitude like “That Fear Fever” and “The Priest and Used Cars”. But there are also songs blending melody and power like “White America’s Beautiful Black Market” or “Younger”. Expect more introspective and gentle, yet intense moments in tracks like “Virgin Dirt” or “Pheromone Cvlt” (especially the second one features a more traditional rock approach).
All the musicians in this band did an amazing job, bringing their creativity to the full work. A special mention is needed for the guitar team made up of Jean Francisco Nascimento and Jeff Sahyoun. But I think the highest recognition is deserved by the vocalist Jason Aalon Butler. His original and dynamic vocal lines made this album really hard to forget, significantly empowering its energy, and packing one of the best singing performance 2013 so far.
Letlive’s “The Blackest Beautiful” has really been a striking surprise for me. I really think this is one of the best releases to come out of Epitaph records in the recent years. It’s dirty, saucy and wild! Regardless of what you’re used to listening to, this is really something you should check out! Full Album Stream is available here.
Links: Facebook // Official Website // iTunes
