First to Leave have been the unfortunate victims of poor timing, not once, but twice. The first time occurred shortly after the release of their debut 7". The band garnered a decent amount of attention with their mixture of melodic hardcore and pop-punk music, resulting in the signing with upstart label, Feeding Frenzy Records, for the release of their debut full-length. Unfortunately, sometime between the commitment to signing and the release of their album, the label went bankrupt. The band's full-length, Change Never Lasts, was in limbo for several months before finally being released in mid-2006 via Straight On Records (Set Your Goals, The Warriors).
The band toured behind its release and eventually caught the ear of Lobster Records, the label that first helped emo-violinists-pop-punkers Yellowcard to fame. First to Leave hit the studio with J. Robbins to record their next full-length; everything was golden
right? Wrong! Unfortunate circumstances again reared their ugly head as the band's label was caught up in a distribution dispute and thus, their album, this album, Forging a Future, was unable to see a physical release (though a digital release via iTunes and other digital retailers occurred). But now, a couple months removed from its proposed release, Wednesday Records brings us First to Leave's sophomore effort, Forging a Future.
First to Leave's Forging a Future picks up where the band left off on their previous venture. "The Saving Cycle" leads things off with a fast-paced delivery of melodic punk, but with a progressive twist. There are aspects of post-hardcore and traditional emo found throughout the song. The guitars are crisp and clear; the drum work compliments the music well, never being too aggressive, just always there. The bass is poppy and driving - something missing in a lot of today's music. Matt Foster's vocals are the final piece of the puzzle; his delivery is raspy melodies - that sounds like an oxymoron, but that's the best way to describe them. On "Keep Moving" Foster demonstrates his vocal range by contrasting his semi-rough yet smooth delivery with higher pitched octaves during the chorus, something he does sporadically through the album.
One of the things that is immediately evident about Forging a Future is the band's improved song structures. On their previous full-length the band seemed to be focused on performing fast-paced punk with dashes of melody. But here, the band has infused much more melody. The band does so with a lot of transitions, the result is a much better flow to the album as a whole - perhaps producer J. Robbins is responsible
or it could just be maturity as musicians. "The Blind Man" is a perfect example of this. The song starts off with a sound reminiscent of Change Never Lasts up through the midpoint, then weaves its way through a Sunny Day Real Estate-ish rock portion.
"Drag the Lake" and "Revival (Starts and Ends)" highlight the band's more dynamic and post-hardcore influences - think Fugazi but with less artsy song structure. "Past the Red Line" reminded me of Far's Tin Cans With Strings to You. The band bring the more pop-driven sound on "You're the Canyons," which sounds like early Saves the Day. The album is rounded out with "We're Both Twenty" and "Maybe Next Year." These two songs demonstrate the band's skills at crafting unique music the blends together their influences, all while creating something that is original in its own right.
Forging a Future has been a longtime coming, and for those who have been waiting, it will be quite a pleasant listen. Those unaware of First to Leave prior to this album will be greatly impressed with the band's delivery of dynamic melodic punk. Stop hesitating and catch up on one of punk's most underrated artists.
