Last Night in Town
Last Night in Town | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by Every Time I Die | ||||
Released | August 14, 2001 | |||
Recorded | March and April 2001 | |||
Studio | Zing Studios, Westfield, Massachusetts | |||
Genre | Metalcore | |||
Length | 33:54 | |||
Label | Ferret | |||
Producer | Adam Dutkiewicz | |||
Every Time I Die chronology | ||||
| ||||
2004 re-release cover | ||||
![]() | ||||
Last Night in Town is the debut studio album by American metalcore band Every Time I Die. After recording a demo, the band signed with independent label Goodfellow Records in 2000 and released The Burial Plot Bidding War EP. The band signed to Ferret Music in mid-2000 and were planning to record their debut album later in the year. After the writing process was done in December of that year, the band went on several US tours until March 2001. The band spent March and April recording Last Night in Town with Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz at Zing Studios in Westfield, Massachusetts. Following recording, the band went on tour with Killswitch Engage and Santa Sangre.
Last Night in Town was released on August 14, 2001. Subsequent tours with Killswitch Engage and Martyr A.D. followed. The band then embarked on a winter tour with Bloodlet. During a show in early January 2002, the band performed as a four-piece with guitarist Jordan Buckley on bass. Shortly afterwards, they announced they were looking a bassist due to their bass player Aaron Ratajczak leaving left to focus on Kid Gorgeous. Further tours followed, as well as appearances at festivals, before Steve Micciche became the group's new bassist in the summer. The group closed the year touring with Eighteen Visions, Converge and Misery Signals, among others.
Last Night in Town received positive reviews with critics praising the band's chaotic sound showcased on the album. It was reissued in June 2004 with new artwork. It was pressed on vinyl in December 2006 as part of a box with Hot Damn! (2003) and Gutter Phenomenon (2005) through Suburban Home Records. In 2010, Buckley said the album was "hard to play, I don't know how I even wrote some of that stuff."[1] He followed this up three years later, stating the record consisted of "50 riffs and none of them repeat and it's almost like, what were we thinking?"[2]
Background
Every Time I Die was formed in 1998 by brothers vocalist Keith Buckley and guitarist Jordan Buckley. The brothers brought in guitarist Andy Williams and drummer Michael "Ratboy" Novack into the fold. With a session musician on bass, the band tracked a demo. With John McCarthy on bass, the band toured across North America. Now with Aaron Ratajczak on bass, the band signed with independent label Goodfellow Records and released the EP The Burial Plot Bidding War in 2000.[3] The band subsequently toured heavily across the east coast and Midwest. On July 10, it was announced that the band had signed with Ferret Music. In addition, it was mentioned that the band would record their debut album in either end of the summer or early fall,[4] aiming for its release in the fall.[5]
Two days later, the band revealed that their debut album would be titled Last Night in Town. On December 5, the band were planning to record Last Night in Town in February 2001,[4] aiming for its release in the spring.[6] On December 22,[4] it was announced that the band had finished writing for Last Night in Town. In addition, it was mentioned that recording would take place in either February or March 2001.[7] In December 2000 and January 2001, the band went on tour with Eighteen Visions. Following this, the band went on tour with Killswitch Engage.[4] From early to mid-March, the band went on a short US tour with Premonitions of War.[8]
Production and composition
On March 21, the band began recording Last Night in Town with producer Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage.[9] Recording took place at Zing Studios in Westfield, Massachusetts.[10] On April 12, it was announced that recording was finished. On April 21 and 22, the group returned to the studio to mix the album.[11]
Buckley said the album was "a chronological order of riffs that we wrote".[12] Chris Gramlich of Exclaim! said the album was "Conceptually darker", compared to The Burial Plot Bidding War, and said it was "lyrically and artistically, laced with black-humour, technical excursions, metallic breaks, [and] intertwining and eclectic guitar work".[13] Jason D. Taylor of AllMusic says the album showcases the band "careening from metalcore crunch to exhausting screamo and even meandering into slightly emotional melodic singing" to the likes of Glassjaw.[14] Mustapha Mond of Lambgoat said the album had a "darker, sludgier metal sound."[15]
Release
In July and August, the band went on tour with Killswitch Engage and Santa Sangre.[16] After being planned for release in July,[11] Last Night in Town was released on August 14 through Ferret Music. Chris Gramlich of Exclaim! called the artwork "striking" and it said it featured the band "decked out Reservoir Dogs-style, beating the tar out of some poor jerk".[13] Buckley said it was "really dark, [and] really sarcastic".[13] A music video was released for "The Logic of Crocodiles", which featured wrestler Matt Cross.[17] The band subsequently went on tour with Killswitch Engage, Poison the Well, American Nightmare and Eighteen Visions.[3] In October, the band went on tour with Martyr A.D..[18] For November and December, Novack drummed for Martyr A.D. due to their drummer being absent.[19] In December 2001 and January 2002, the band went on tour with Bloodlet.[20] For a show with Shai Hulud on January 11, 2002,[21] the band performed as a four-piece with Buckley on bass. During the show, the band reportedly said "if you want to try out to be our permanent bass player, talk to us at the merch table."[22]
Two days later, it was announced that they were looking for a new bass player. In addition, it was mentioned that Ratajczak had left due to him working with another group, Kid Gorgeous.[22] In March and April, the band went tour with Blood Has Been Shed,[23] prior to their appearance at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival.[24] In August, the band made an appearance at Furance Fest.[25] Between late May and early July, the band went on tour with Bleeding Through and Norma Jean across the US.[26] During the summer, the band gained a new bassist, Steve Micciche.[27] In August and September, the band went on tour with Eighteen Visions, Hopesfall and Norma Jean.[28] A tour Canada tour with Converge followed.[27] In December, the band went on tour with Misery Signals, Remembering Never and My Chemical Romance. For a few dates, Underoath filled in for Misery Signals.[29] In January 2003, the band went on tour with Most Precious Blood and the Promise.[30]
Reception and aftermath
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Lambgoat | 9/10 [15] |
Punknews.org | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
AllMusic reviewer Jason D. Taylor called the album "a cathartic, chaotic release".[14] As it continues, "the listener will go from being stunned to outright jaw-dropping incredulity."[14] He said that the record was very comparable to Drowningman in the regard that both bands are able to "flawlessly twist your mind into a pretzel and then straighten it back out with the occasional melody."[14] Taylor concluded his review by saying that the "reluctance to remove the album from your stereo is surely proof enough that this is one of the most potentially amazing bands inhabiting the metalcore scene".[14] Mustapha Mond of Lambgoat said the album was "it's as peppy as tough, crazy hardcore can get. And on top of the boots-rocking beat, ETID layers breakdown after breakdown".[15] He said it "keeps up the rocking for ten powerful tracks, and manages to put enough artistry into them that any one, listened to alone, will knock your socks off".[15] In a review for Punknews.org, Brian Shultz said the album brought "the terms "rhetoric" and "caustic" each to a whole new level."[31] He noted that the band "stray from choruses like they were acting out magnetism laws" and praised Buckley's "penetrating screams and joyously wild yells".[31] He mentioned that the guitars "flip-flop between frenetic riffing and hyperactive decrescendos. ... it's metalcore that does not let the fuck up."[31]
Last Night in Town was re-released on June 21, 2004 with new artwork.[32] The album was reissued on vinyl as part of a box set along with Hot Damn! (2003) and Gutter Phenomenon (2005). The box set was released on December 12, 2006 through independent label Suburban Home Records.[33] In 2010, Buckley said he re-listened to the album and said "It's hard to play, I don't know how I even wrote some of that stuff."[1] In 2013, Buckley said the album was "just 50 riffs and none of them repeat and it's almost like, what were we thinking?"[2] Jim Smallman of TeamRock ranked Last Night in Town as his least favorite Every Time I Die album, calling it "A fine debut, but the band were to head on to better things."[34]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Emergency Broadcast Syndrome" | 2:00 |
2. | "Jimmy Tango's Method" | 3:40 |
3. | "Here's Lookin' at You" | 3:44 |
4. | "Punch-Drunk Punk Rock Romance" (featuring Howard Jones from Blood Has Been Shed) | 4:36 |
5. | "Enter Without Knocking and Notify the Police" | 2:01 |
6. | "The Logic of Crocodiles" | 3:50 |
7. | "Pincushion" | 3:18 |
8. | "Nothing Dreadful Ever Happens" | 3:43 |
9. | "California, Gracefully" | 2:53 |
10. | "Shallow Water Blackout" | 2:55 |
Personnel
- Jordan Buckley – guitar
- Keith Buckley – vocals
- Andrew Williams – guitar
- Michael "Ratboy" Novak Jr. – drums
- Aaron Ratajczak – bass, piano on "Nothing Dreadful Ever Happens"
- Howard Jones – backing vocals on "Punch-Drunk Punk Rock Romance"
References
Citations
- 1 2 Thrash Hits 2010, 1:27–31
- 1 2 ExclaimTV 2013, 3:31–36
- 1 2 Sharpe-Young 2005, p. 135
- 1 2 3 4 "Ferret News". Ferret Music. Archived from the original on April 10, 2001. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ↑ "What We've Done". Ferret Music. Archived from the original on January 26, 2001. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ↑ "What We've Done". Ferret Music. Archived from the original on April 11, 2001. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ↑ "Every Time I Die news update". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. December 23, 2000. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Every Time I Die tour and update". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. February 28, 2001. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Every Time I Die enters studio". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. March 21, 2001. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Every Time I Die to enter studio". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. January 29, 2001. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- 1 2 "Every Time I Die finish recording". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. April 12, 2001. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ ExclaimTV 2013, 3:22–25
- 1 2 3 Gramlich, Chris (August 1, 2001). "Every Time I Die Last Night In Town". Exclaim!. Ian Danzig. Archived from the original on December 17, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Taylor, Jason D. "Last Night in Town - Every Time I Die | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 Mond, Mustapha (March 13, 2002). "Every Time I Die - Last Night In Town review". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Killswitch Engage, ETID, and Santa Sangre tour". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. July 17, 2001. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ Heiberg, Austin (June 11, 2015). "Watch The Guitarist From 'Every Time I Die' Show Why He Might Have A Future In Pro Wrestling". Uproxx. Woven Digital. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ↑ "Martyr AD and ETID tour schedule". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. September 5, 2001. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "ETID drummer bails out Martyr AD". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. November 6, 2001. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "ETID drummer bails out Martyr AD". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. December 1, 2001. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Shai Hulud upcoming tour schedule". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. November 13, 2001. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- 1 2 "Every Time I Die looking for new bassist". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. January 13, 2002. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Every Time I Die & Blood Has Been Shed dates". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. March 13, 2002. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ Boyce 2002, p.13
- ↑ Sciarretto 2002, p. 21
- ↑ "Every Time I Die and Bleeding Through dates". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. May 7, 2002. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- 1 2 Sharpe-Young 2005, p. 136
- ↑ "18 Visions, ETID, Hopesfall, Norma Jean tour". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. July 21, 2002. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "ETID, Misery Signals, Remembering Never tour". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. November 5, 2002. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Most Precious Blood, ETID, The Promise tour". Lambgoat. Blast Beat Network. December 17, 2002. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 Shultz, Brian (February 17, 2004). "Every Time I Die - Last Night in Town". Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Ferret News". Ferret Music. Archived from the original on June 23, 2004. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ↑ "Suburban Home to release Every Time I Die vinyl box set". Alternative Press. November 9, 2006. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
- ↑ Smallman, Jim (October 21, 2016). "Every Every Time I Die Album Ranked From Worst To Best". TeamRock. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
Sources
- Boyce, Kevin (April 1, 2002). "Loud Rock". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc. 71 (156). ISSN 0890-0795.
- ExclaimTV (March 27, 2013). Jordan Buckley says 'Last Night In Town' is a "chronological order of riffs" | Aggressive Tendencies. YouTube.
- Sciarretto, Amy (August 26, 2002). "Loud Rock". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc. 72 (777). ISSN 0890-0795.
- Sharpe-Young, Garry (2005). New Wave of American Heavy Metal (1st ed.). New Plymouth, N.Z.: Zonda Books. ISBN 9780958268400.
- Thrash Hits (January 13, 2010). Thrash Hits TV: Every Time I Die review their own records. YouTube.