Album Review: Letlive. - Fake History

Letlive are not the same band that vocalist Jason Aalon Butler was part of a few years ago. In fact, you might as well discount any of the work they have released up to this point and start again.

So, let's treat Letlive like a new band. 'Fake History' is a hardcore album - that much is clear from album opener and tempo setter 'Le Prologue'. Butler's piercing screams seem to channel the spirit of Daryl Palumbo - yet by the time 'The Sick, Sick 6.8 billion' rocks up, it seems that Letlive might have a greater ear for a hook than Glassjaw ever did.

So many of the songs have a swagger about them - this isn't "brootal" breakdowns and constant double-bass drums, it's not evening lightning fast in tempo, it just hits hard and frequently. There's an underlying political theme that scores the lyrics - that may attract some, put others off and some will flat out not care - let's put it this way, it isn't thrust in your faces.

This is a throw-back album, in the best possible way. Butler's clean vocals are distinctive and sprinkle the songs with their strongest hooks. This is hardcore from yesteryear, the kind of music that so many have been mourning, but that has existed in the underground for a while now. Letlive might just be the band to bring it back to the surface. This could just be massive.

3.5/5

'Fake History' by Letlive. is available now on Epitaph Records.

Letlive. on MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

Nick Robbins