Letlive "Fake History" 2011 Album review

Released	April 2010
Recorded	Charlotte, North Carolina August–September 2009
Genre	Post-hardcore, experimental rock,alternative metal
Label	Tragic Hero (2010), Epitaph (2011 re-release)
Producer	Letlive., Brett Gurewitz "This Mime (A Sex Symbol)" Rating:

Fake history was Letlive's second album, originally it was released on Tragic Hero Records in April 2013, however this then became re-released by Epitaph Records the following April in 2011 with the three additional tracks.

The album begins with a warm up song, which gets the audience going with its heavy drum beat, which is then followed by Jason Aalon Butler (lead vocalist) voice, in "Le Prolouge". This carries on its upbeat and hardcore  genre as it gets your attention almost imminently and waking you up to the next song which follows on closely, "The sick, sick 6.8 Billion.". This one has to be one of my favourites of the album as it introduces a mixture of voices. Yes we are still hearing the hardcore screams of Jason, but this time we are also exposed to the softer, longer harmony's in which are being belted along with the energetic riffs of the guitar ad outburst of the drums. Now I personally have just heard the album not that long ago, despite that it had been around for three years now, but i instantly fell in love with it. The reason is that Letlive are not just your average hardcore band but much more experimental which is one of the qualities and styles they take into their songs to make it unique and fresh, sure not everyone will understand and agree to what I am saying, however I feel they have mad either mark by doing this but also doing it successfully.

The album certainylu does follow on its constant head hanging songs as the third one in the track list is "Renegade 86" which takes a back seat from the screams. Perfectly lining this song after such a diverse one, it calms the listner down a bit so they feel at ease with the song. The perfect beat of consistency within the song is flawlessly matched with its twisted ending that takes us back to what Letlive is all about and we are familiarised with Jason's voice yet again. Despite the lack of jumpiness it's very catchy and indeed with the riffs and beats of it all, which just make you tap your feel alongside it.

You have to give them credit for their perfect line-up of song order as they know exactly when to play each song for the maximum effect. Now onto "Enemies [Enemigos]" which is a much slow pace movement with a repetitive chorus, like the previous one with its catch drum beats, it acts as a balance as we are experiencing a similarity, yet still receiving a new twist towards the bridge. This all then returns back to its normal state of the song through a fade of repetition, this all changes as soon as we hit the next one which converts us back to the original Letlive tempo. "Casino Columbus" reminds me of their previous album, and takes me back slightly as it reveals elements which were foundered, it certainly puts a twist on what the listener would expect as the first four songs had been a whole new Letlive, they would be happy to know that not all has been changed.

The constant altering of songs which are totally different makes me adore this album even more, it allows so much expression to be exposed in such a short time, for an album it really does live up to what the band is labelled as, while "Muther" takes a softer slow swing with the vocals of Chelsea Warlick in sync with Jason's, it almost takes a soft and calm tone to the song as it's quite releasing to hear halfway through the album. This takes on a similar pattern of repetition when "Holmess Jazz" sets in as the heaviness is focused on the piano, that gives off an old school Jazz sound of diversity. Not seen as just one album from one band to me but Letlive explore pretty much everything in this album, which is done perfectly well that you cant possible hate them for it.

Leaving the album with a new yet familiar taste of auto enhanced vocals, this adds to its technological side of the band as they are capable of producing different combined elements of beauty with edge that intertwine into soft voices just to mess with the structure of the album, which keeps on giving me thrills that a newly formed equilibrium is made.
The last song of chorus has to be the most conjuring as it is probably the one that you would remember the most, while it was fresh in your head, this is the longest in the whole album. The main reason as to why it is my favourite from their work is because it's lyrical. Mind it being a whole six minutes long, the song is like the ending of a book, the final chapter with a hidden moral behind instead of words they are lyrics. The clear voice of Jason mixes with his angry screams as it is shows the two sides in which he is trying to express in this story of a song. The issues talked about are very real to life and relatable as when he is chanting them , its almost like a warning to you, with so much emotion and passion passing through his vocals it really does sink into your head that there is a hidden message here. When the lines of "Can't wait to say I told you so" play in, the tune changes and we are being laughed at with Jason's sarcastic voice of pity, this changes the mood with it also. "Day 54" is just beautifully conducted and concentrated together to produce the most powerful emotion that could be pulled out of us, empathy. The chanting of tempo and beats angers you as you are now feeling the mutual feelings of Jason's cries. It takes you up until the point where you are so intact with the song that you feel completely absorbed by it and taken away a bit.

And that is why the album deserves a well earned 5/5 stars.