Last Chance To Reason
Encyclopedia
Last Chance to Reason is a progressive metal
group from Augusta, Maine
. Their first major label debut, Level 2
, came in 2011 through Prosthetic Records
. Their debut album, Lvl. 1
, was released through Tribunal Records
in 2007.
, The Autumn Offering
and As I Lay Dying
helped their fan base grow. Several DIY tours and show trading helped LCTR become a staple of the central Maine Hardcore/Mathcore scene. During these times the band experienced several lineup changes. It was also during this time that the band released their first music video for their song "SBTBATAC",filmed and edited by award winning director Kevin James Custer
.
, and would stay with the band until 2008. This also marked a change in style for the band,moving from mathcore to a more progressive based sound. Lvl. 1 was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jamie King in North Carolina and released by Tribunal Records in August 2007. Influences from video games to King Crimson
saw the band take on new song structures and melodies. Touring for Lvl. 1 was intense and almost non-stop. Tours with Look What I Did
and Car Bomb
helped the bands fan base grow even larger.
. Guitarist Thomas Waterhouse and keyboardist Brian Palmer left the band in early August 2011 during a tour of America, reducing the line-up to four again, before recruiting Mike Abdow as a replacement for Waterhouse.
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
group from Augusta, Maine
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
. Their first major label debut, Level 2
Level 2 (Last Chance to Reason album)
Teaming up with producer Jamie King , the band set out to create a modern take on the classic progressive concept album...
, came in 2011 through Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records is a record label specializing in heavy metal recordings. Founded by E.J. Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald both former employees of Columbia Records, in Los Angeles, California in 1998...
. Their debut album, Lvl. 1
Lvl. 1
Lvl. 1 is the 2007 debut album by the band Last Chance to Reason. The album heavily references video games, especially Super Metroid. Song titles include "Escape From Brinstar", "Kraid Ain't Got Shit On Me", and "Destroy Mother Brain" , and "Maddens for NOObz"...
, was released through Tribunal Records
Tribunal Records
Tribunal Records is a North Carolina-based record label that launched in the summer of 1999 by founder Matthew Rudzinski. They have recorded and produced with bands such as Animosity, Scarlet, He Is Legend, Woe of Tyrants, Killwhitneydead, and Atreyu....
in 2007.
Early years and Dreamt of an Angel, Woke with a Nightmare (2004−2007)
The band toured throughout 2005,2006 and 2007 supporting their first EP. Shows with UnearthUnearth
Unearth is an American metalcore band from Winthrop, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released five studio albums. Their fourth record, The March was released on October 14, 2008 meeting with high positive reception by many...
, The Autumn Offering
The Autumn Offering
The Autumn Offering is an American metalcore band that formed in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1999. After achieving some degree of local success, the band was signed to Stillborn Records, founded by Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed, in 2003. The band released one album through this label...
and As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying (band)
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by Tim Lambesis and having completed their first Line-up in 2001, the band consists of vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, lead guitarist Nick Hipa, rhythm guitarist Phil Sgrosso, and bassist Josh...
helped their fan base grow. Several DIY tours and show trading helped LCTR become a staple of the central Maine Hardcore/Mathcore scene. During these times the band experienced several lineup changes. It was also during this time that the band released their first music video for their song "SBTBATAC",filmed and edited by award winning director Kevin James Custer
Kevin James Custer
Kevin James Custer is a music video and commercial director, photographer, drummer, and financial analyst. In 2001, Kevin formed a production company called Toaster In The Tub...
.
Lvl. 1 and lineup changes (2007-2009)
2007 saw the groups first major lineup change with the departure of guitarist Dustin Boudreau, vocalist Mike Levenseller and the arrival of Bob Delaney. Delaney a staple of the Maine music scene became the vocalist for the bands first LP release, Lvl. 1Lvl. 1
Lvl. 1 is the 2007 debut album by the band Last Chance to Reason. The album heavily references video games, especially Super Metroid. Song titles include "Escape From Brinstar", "Kraid Ain't Got Shit On Me", and "Destroy Mother Brain" , and "Maddens for NOObz"...
, and would stay with the band until 2008. This also marked a change in style for the band,moving from mathcore to a more progressive based sound. Lvl. 1 was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jamie King in North Carolina and released by Tribunal Records in August 2007. Influences from video games to King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
saw the band take on new song structures and melodies. Touring for Lvl. 1 was intense and almost non-stop. Tours with Look What I Did
Look What I Did
Look What I Did is an American post-hardcore band, formed in 2001 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The music combines elements of jazz/fusion, hardcore, metal, and progressive pop punk...
and Car Bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
helped the bands fan base grow even larger.
Level 2 and label signing (2009-Present)
Writing for Level 2 began in late 2007 with drummer Evan Sammons and guitarist A.J. Harvey writing and recording a basic demos of the record. In September 2008 it was announced that Mike Lessard would be taking over vocal duties and Delaney would no longer be in the band, the departure was seen as amicable for both parties involved. With the vocal situation settled the band began to focus on recruiting a second guitarist, this spot would be filled by Evan Haines. However Haines would eventually be replaced by long time friend Tom Waterhouse in the summer of 2010. After writing for Level 2 was complete,the band recruited friend and original producer of Lvl 1, Jamie King, to record the album in North Carolina. The drums and vocals were recorded entirely with King, while guitar, bass, and keyboards were recorded by the band at their Mother Brain studios in central Maine. The album was edited, mixed and mastered by King and released on April 12, 2011 through Prosthetic RecordsProsthetic Records
Prosthetic Records is a record label specializing in heavy metal recordings. Founded by E.J. Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald both former employees of Columbia Records, in Los Angeles, California in 1998...
. Guitarist Thomas Waterhouse and keyboardist Brian Palmer left the band in early August 2011 during a tour of America, reducing the line-up to four again, before recruiting Mike Abdow as a replacement for Waterhouse.
Lvl. 1 track listing
- "Owned by a Stingray Barb" – 2:22
- "She's My Bloody Pie" – 2:53
- "Escape from Brinstar" – 1:12
- "Me and Tom BrokawTom BrokawThomas John "Tom" Brokaw is an American television journalist and author best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He is the author of The Greatest Generation and other books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors...
Are Like "This"" – 3:51 - "Maddens for N00bz" – 3:15
- "It's Professional When That Happens" – 2:40
- "Kraid Ain't Got Shit on me" – 1:36
- "Get Awesome" – 2:19
- "Those Were Real Witch Bones" – 3:27
- "Joe Dirt" – 3:08
- "Destroy Mother Brain" – 0:38
- "Cock Eating Bullet" - 4:29
Level 2 track listing
- "Upload Complete"
- "Coded to Fail"
- "Taking Control"
- "Temp Files"
- "Programmed for Battle"
- "Portal"
- "The Parabolic"
- "The Linear"
- "The Prototype"
- "Apotheosis"
Discography
Studio albums- Dreamt of an Angel, Woke with a Nightmare (2005)
- Lvl. 1Lvl. 1Lvl. 1 is the 2007 debut album by the band Last Chance to Reason. The album heavily references video games, especially Super Metroid. Song titles include "Escape From Brinstar", "Kraid Ain't Got Shit On Me", and "Destroy Mother Brain" , and "Maddens for NOObz"...
(2007) - Level 2Level 2 (Last Chance to Reason album)Teaming up with producer Jamie King , the band set out to create a modern take on the classic progressive concept album...
(2011)
Personnel
- Michael Lessard – Vocals
- A J Harvey – guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, Vocals - Chris Corey – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Vocals - Evan Sammons – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Mike Abdow - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2011-present)
Past members
- Thomas Waterhouse - guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Brian Palmer - KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Synth - Bob Delaney – Vocals
- Dustin Boudreau - guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Michael Levenseller - Vocals
- Dustin Fairbanks - guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Evan Haines - guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...