Music Review: One Last Time - Fall to Rise (EP)

Hailing from the same town that plays host to the fictional Dunder-Mifflin, sorry, Sabre paper company, Scranton, PA, comes One Last Time. It is said the band originally formed as a pop punk band before morphing into their current metalcore sound. That is an interesting change of pace. I have to wonder spurred them on to change styles like that? if I could hazard a guess, it was the fading of pop punk and the rise of metalcore. Now that metalcore seems to be fading somewhat, I wonder what will be next for them?



All right, that's a bit harsh and I don't really mean to be. I do not know them and I would be willing to bet they are a bunch of cool blokes who truly love playing music. At the same time, that is not going to stop me from thinking they may be searching for the next hot thing and patterning themselves after that to see what sticks. Of course, it is not quite as blatant as Sugar Ray back in the day.

Wow. I'm sorry, I really sound like I am ragging on these guys in an uncalled for fashion. Perhaps it is because the music doesn't stand out from the metalcore crowd. In a genre where acts are trying to make it sound fresh again, One Last Time seem content to charge forward as a straight up representation of the genre. You know, heavy mosh parts with growled/screamed vocals interspersed with melodic portions with clean vocals. Nothing you haven't heard before.

On a musical level, these guys execute well. While the sound may be coming up as too little too late, One Last Time do their best to make Fall to Rise a memorable experience. The vocals are good, the riffs are heavy and I think I could really get into a live performance. However, when it comes right down to it, they are just another face in the crowd.

This is a four song EP that peaks with the final track, "Your Name Set in Stone." The band is freely distributing Fall to Rise for you to check out, you can get it here. As middling as my reaction is to it, I suggest you give it a listen, you really could do a lot worse. It is enjoyable, it just fails to stand out.

Mildly Recommended.