LAST STOP CHINA TOWN - review added 14th August 2009
Album Review: Into The Volcano (2009)
For fans of: Heavy Metal... and ?
Last Stop China Town - Adam Harris (drums), Alon Bentley (vocals), Andy Hill (bass) Rob Mitchell (guitars) - were formed in 2005 in the British Midlands, birthplace of bands like Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. Although their name isn't as dark and foreboding as their forebears, the music more than lives up to the dark-tainted roots.
Into The Volcano is the group's 2nd release and follows 2006's Vital Signs. Since that debut they've been touring with bands like Bullet For My Valentine, Skindred and Breed 77 and, presumably, scratching their heads to come up with a bunch of even better tracks.
I haven't had the pleasure of hearing the first release so I can't tell you if they've succeeded, but the tracks on Into The Volcano are none too shabby. The sound is achingly bass-heavy in-your-face metal. There are kick drums galore and numerous riffs you could use to carve stone. The vocals remain clean throughout giving the album an accessibility missing from bands like Trivium and Testament - bands with a similar level of heaviness.
'Mechanical Sunrise' opens with a cracking bass-led-thunderstorm of an intro.that gets faster and better as it progresses. Alon's vocals don't have the firepower to match however but, by the chorus, he finds his energy reserves and lets rip. It's a class song that'll have you head banging until your neck snaps. 'Pain Of A Thousand' is an even more throbbing beat-fest that sounds like Godzilla tapping fingers on a weapons factory. The guitar is phenomenal, the backing from the rhythm section is spot-b*ll*ck-on... but again I'm not 100% sure about the vocals. He has a decent voice but Alon's style doesn't suit the music. The fleeting moments when he goes all grumply and imp-like are much better.
The title track is a heavy beast with speaker destroying potential. The drums are the star on this track, although they are even better on 'Rage Within'. Adam Harris is bloody handy and, on this evidence, has a good future in front of him. The slower track 'The End Of Days' is about as close as L.S.C.T. get to a ballad. It's unlikely it'll make you get all gooey but the slow chugging nature has a gutsy appeal. Final track 'Just Surrender' is somewhere between a grunge and indie track and is way too downtuned and muggy for my liking. The band are far better when they're clear and heavy.
Into The Volcano isn't by any means a bad album. The guitars and rhythm section have a superb sound and some of the songs are proper stomp-fests. Overall, however, it comes down to the fact Alon Bentley's just don't do it for me. His vocals, whilst not awful, are simply mismatched with the grinding chuggery and leave the music floundering in no-man's land. The result sits between a few different genres and doesn't do any of them justice. Shame.
Check out... That guitar sound... and the drumming.
Track List:
1. Mechanical Sunrise
2. Blood In The Snow
3. Pain Of A Thousand
4. Voices
5. Into The Volcano
6. Rage Within
7. Remnance
8. Raised To Ruin
9. The End Of Days
10. Just Surrender
Artist's website(s): MySpace
