LAST CALL "GOOD TIMES... BAD BLOOD"
In your filthy mitts lies a new cornerstone of American metalcore. From the first rumbling assault of “Broken Promises” to the final howls of “Wings of the Northforce,” LAST CALL’SGood Times, Bad Blood on Overit Records is an unholy stampede, crushing together the worlds of hardcore and metal with building-wrecking intensity and precision acquired by only the most truculent demolition forces.
Formed in 1996 from the hardened, blue-collar ethos of Troy, New York, LAST CALL helped deliver the East Coast hardcore zeitgeist into the new millennium in an era when many of the group’s brethren called it a day. Soon after, the band began to incorporate metal influences into their sound, eventually unleashing transcendent two-guitar harmonies reminiscent of Iron Maiden and a malignant blast wind of old-school thrash upon fans with their 2004 release, The After Hours.
“We have never really been a full-on hardcore band,” vocalist Ralph Renna explains. “Metal has been an important element for us since day one. The whole thing sounds like Slayer meets Madball.”
The formula proved successful, further sharpening the band’s technical abilities, helping members evolve as songwriters and earning LAST CALL newfound popularity outside their regional DIY hardcore scene. Beneath ever-scathing tales of suffering and perseverance in an unsympathetic world, a fresh perspective on life in working-class America arose, and fans took due notice. A reputation for incendiary live shows followed as the group shared the stage with Anthrax, Hatebreed, Atreyu, Biohazard, Otep and a host of other national acts. And now, the members of LAST CALL up the dose even further with Good Times, Bad Blood.
“We put 200% into this CD,” Renna says. “The lyrics, the songwriting, the production… all of it. No matter where we play this material, people leave with their jaws dropped.”
Indeed, the diabolical heft of tracks like “Once Divided,” “Battered Heroes” and “Rusted Gates” place you at the hypocenter of the blast, inflamed, concussed by such a voracious display of amplified might. No over-processed nonsense. No cerebral subtexts. Just powerful truth, diabolical intentions and absolutely cataclysmic breakdowns. Welcome to the good times. Now watch your back.
http://www.lastcallny.com
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