Last Perfection

United Edge Records is the home to some of today's most creative bands, including Lye By Mistake, a personal favorite, and the only band I can see being able to get away with infusing jazz and hardcore and make it sound not only good but downright awesome. Another one of their alumni is Last Perfection, a New York/Long Island metal five-piece whose debut record was nothing short of amazing. Since they started in 2001, Last Perfection has matured their sound so well, and perfected their style so fine that they've truly joined the ranks of today's best. Their upcoming sophomore release entitled “Drawing Conclusions” is not only going to impress into fans minds the reality of this bands abilities, but it will give the metal heads and hardcore kids alike something to enjoy for a long time.

The term metalcore has been thrown around pretty carelessly lately, and you really can't tell what you're in for when purchasing a record coined with that genre. When “Drawing Conclusions” opens up, it starts with an instrumental intro track “The Inception” which already gives you a good idea of the musical talents of the band, and in all honesty it's a solid song for only being a minute long. “Everyone Is A Poet” is where the vocals come in, and in honor of truly wielding the term metalcore, the vocals include both hardcore growling, as well as metal screeching style making it a perfect blend of both worlds. The guitar riffs are heavy and slick, the drums are hard hitting, and the bass is a great compliment to it all. “Irony Is Not The Word” has some pretty amazing drumlines, and the guitar overlays are awesome. The riffs near the end of the track are very intricate and if the word beautiful can be applied to metal, than that's what this is.

“Walking A Mile In Cement Shoes” starts with a subtle guitar melody, and has a beautiful rhythm much like you see with many mature metal bands today, much like Misery Signals. I really appreciate the appearance of a instrumental mid-album, like Jesse Zaraska would say “it makes the heavy stuff heavier”. Now that we got our sensitive side out of the way, “Obtuse And Obscure” beats up back into submission. You've got to love this band's brutality amidst cleverly written melodic guitar riffs, it makes everything fit perfectly and sound so great. “What A Pity” and “The Number 5 Looks Like 2” close out the record nicely, keeping the pattern of quality metal alongside rhythmic instrumentals. My favorite track would have to be “Obtuse And Obscure”, it just stands out musically to me, and is very powerful.

I'm really pleased to see where this band is at right now, and how far they've come in terms of metal musicians. It's no surprise that an album of this caliber could be produce by a United Edge band, because they've been doing it for years. “Drawing Conclusions” is an excellent “metalcore” record, set with both the chaos of metal music, and the beauty of well-timed instrumentals. I'd have to say that Last Perfection has a hit on there hands, and by hit I mean the type of music that people who can appreciate quality tunes will greatly love. Let's put one more notch on United Edge's scoreboard now that they've hit the ball right on the money once again. Pick up this album when it comes out, and support this band and this label at any opportunity.
- sceneitall.net

Heavy metal with breakdowns, most commonly known as metalcore, is exhibited almost flawlessly by Last Perfection’s new album “Drawing Conclusions.” Released by United Edge Recordings, the band’s new record is what Misery Signals and Old Man Gloom would sound like if the two bands were to cross paths.

9 tracks of aggression and hints of brutality, Last Perfection have created a great follow-up to their 2003 debut “Violent Solutions For A Violent World” (also released by United Edge). Having played Hellfest in the past, and toured with Bury Your Dead, Misery Signals, and more, Last Perfection are a strong force for the metalcore world that have been spreading their popularity since the release of “Violent Solutions For A Violent World.”

The Long Island based band has been together since 2001 and exhibit a lot more maturity than one can find in some of the more recent offerings the metalcore scene has been witnessing. “Drawing Conclusions” is a strong sophomore full-length effort for Lost Perfection and helps the band stand out as an up-and-coming act that those heavily involved in the metalcore underground need to get their hands on.
- silentskymedia.com

Make no mistake, ‘Drawing Conclusions’ is going to make this band big news. As Last Perfections first full release on United Edge Records, this could the album that kicks them up from meer wannabes to serious contenders.

It’s a relief to see that the metalcore scene is finally dragging it’s arse out of the turgid swamp of nu-metal and is beginning to produce some genuinely metal influenced bands again. Just like the 80’s crossover scene, we’re starting to see more and more bands that mix hardcore with proper thrashy metal, and those bands are (at last) starting to find homes on recognised labels too. I’m guessing that the huge breakout success of the likes of Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, and Unearth is starting to turn the heads of indie label scouts and as a result bands like Last Perfection are getting a chance to carve out a new niche in the exteme music underworld that doesn’t require pretentious song titles and pseudo-avant garde stylings to get noticed.

I’ve already mentioned Unearth, and to be honest that’s the nearest and most accurate reference point for the style of music Last Perfection produce. However whereas Unearth now produce European thrash with the occasional hardcore nod and a wink, Last Perfection produce European thrash with a more of a sly left-field hardcore nudge and a sneaky cough. So we get heaps of great guitar leads, solos galore, melody, and the expected powerchord heavy bombast and aural barrage. But stirred into all that is an unexpected dose of off-kilter dischordance and angst. In amongst the splendor of high speed thrash work outs and Scan metal guitar abuse, there’s the occasional At The Drive In-esque spoken monologue. We get interludes of vocal free, lilting indie rock guitar harmonies that segues back into dual metal guitar violence, and throaty vocal workouts. There’s segments of drumming that call to mind Between The Buried And Me. And the vocals are capable of veering suddenly between nasal emo singing and high pitched black metal shrieks.

As an album, ‘Drawing Conclusions’ works very well indeed. It blazes past in a blur of pompous guitar lines and kick drums that simply requires the listener to hit the play button again and again in order to enjoy those sensational licks and riffs one more time. Want killer guitar riffs and duelling? Try out ‘What A Pity’ with it’s constant change of tempo and direction. Fancy a slice of pure metal? Try second track ‘Everyone Is A Poet’, with some of the most satisfying guitar craftsmanship I’ve heard on any metalcore album. How about a mix of aggression and melody that would make Shadows Fall jealous? Try on ‘Obtuse And Obscure’ on for size. There’s even a semi acoustic outro called ‘The Number 5 Looks Like 2’, an essential item in the armoury of any NWOBHM accolite.

I hate to bring this up, but the album was produced by Kurt Ballou and he even contributes some guitar playing on a track. It would a crime if that was used as the main selling point for this album. As it is, ‘Drawing Conclusions’ is more than capable of selling on it’s own merits as another, belting metal record to add to the ‘Must Buy’ list for 2004.
- vendettazine.co.uk

God City Studios produces another hardcore masterpiece with the new United Edge release by Last Perfection. On the new album Drawing Conclusions, Last Perfection successfully combines straight old school style hardcore ala Comeback Kid with an all new breed of metalcore ala Misery Signals, and then adds in a little extra brutality and emotion.

Last Perfection goes above and beyond the rest of their genre with thoughtful lyrics, as opposed to the same tragic repetitions you hear on every other hardcore record put out. In fact, on the track “Everyone’s A Poet,” Last Perfection takes a shot at all the kids sitting on their live journals typing page after scripted page about how miserable their upper class suburban life is. With lyrics ranging from the aforementioned topic to one night stands with ex’s to what seems to be the decay of our moral fabric through television and reality shows, Last Perfection does anything but hash over what we’ve already heard.

The music of Drawing Conclusions is enough to break your neck from banging your head just a bit too hard. With both beautiful guitar melodies and interludes that quickly morph into some of the most crushing breakdowns and guitar riffs this side of Slayer. The best conclusion that can be drawn about Last Perfection is for thoughtful hardcore that still doesn’t skimp on this mosh fad. Pick up this record.
- breakingcustom.com

Metalcore continues to reign as even more bands are thrown into the fray and Last Perfection are amongst those masses but will come out on top. The band which formed in 2001, has since gained acclaim and have now released their potential entitled “Drawing Conclusions” the band’s debut album on United Edge Records. Last Perfection will be amongst the more notable metalcore bands.

The album was recorded at the infamous God City studios of Converge’s Kurt Ballou, so it’s no surprise that the album is a damn fine one. The band is like a less technical (and more coherent) A Life Once Lost and can even be compared to “Stings Of Consciousness” era Unearth at times.

The east coast based band has already had a good deal of line up changes but depsite the roster switches the band pulled together their first release in 2003. With one well recieved release under their belts, they are back with their sophomore effort which will have kids killing each other in the pit in no time.

Not only using good change ups and breakdowns to their advantage, they are well placed amongst the great rhythm and dual harmonies the band throws around throughout the album showing that they are not your run of the mill metalcore band. If metalcore is the new “core” then Last Perfection will be one of the bands to lead this movement beyond the typical verse, breakdown, verse, breakdown song structure. The band features elements of technical playing but nothing too abstract, simply proving that these boys definitely know their way around the fret boards. The songs “Obtuse and Obscure” and “Everyone Is A Poet” are great examples of how the band uses its musical prowess to add great charisma to its songs and then following it up with ridiculous breakdowns making it enjoyable on so many levels. The entire album is one relentless beating after another, and will have you asking for another.

A release for many to enjoy, Last Perfection know exactly how to deliver great, well played heavy music and do it well. “Drawing Conclusions” will prove to be the band’s breakthrough and will bring hardcore kids to the pit, keeping great metalcore steamrolling into the next year.

For fans of:
Unearth
A Life Once Lost
Dead To Fall
Rifles At Recess
Bleeding Through
As I Lay Dying
- riftrock.com

On its second album, these East COasters merge death metal, math metal, and metalcore, shifting rhythms and tempos with unpredictable abruptness. Whether they're unleashing primitive screams or zigzagging through aural calculus, Last Perfection have the chops to entrance. - Revolver Magazine