WHY I LOVE WRITING FOR ALTERNATIVE PRESS

From the letters column in AP #264, which just arrived in my mailbox:

I literally screamed when I flipped to the From First To Last feature in AP 262. You guys never mention From First To Last, and they're one of if not the best "scene" bands of my generation. I've practically grown up on them. Although I don't agree with some of the opinions expressed in the article (i.e., that Throne To The Wolves is better than the rest of their albums), I'm so grateful that you guys finally printed something about them. They deserve as much or more press than most of the bands AP goes on about. So, mad props.
Essy Lynn Davis
Oak Grove, MO

When I went downstairs to eat my breakfast, I ran straight into my May issue of AP. So of course, I opened it up, looked at the first few ads, then opened to the features list in the table of contents to see the most glorious words ever: From First To Last. Naturally, I flipped to page 86 to see my magazine graced with the lovely talents that have been my life since the ripe age of 12 when I went to my first Warped Tour in 2005 and saw their beautiful faces up close and personal. I have every album, including Aesthetic, and have loved the lyrics and music that has changed my life. And although their self-titled album was a slight disappointment, it was really awesome to read why exactly they created it and why they did what they did with it. It opened my eyes to truly how rough a time they were going through. And it was the first I heard of them not having Travis Richter. So thank you, AP, for further informing me on my favorite band in the world.
Morgan Tangent
Ventura, CA

I can say with relative confidence that nothing I've written for The Wire, not even the piece on Wadada Leo Smith, has ever inspired literal screaming.

THIS WEEK ON ALTPRESS.COM

DEMON HUNTER
The World is a Thorn (Solid State)
On Demon Hunter's fifth album, they're throwing everything they've got at the listener, hoping something will stick long enough for their pro-Jesus message to sink in. The fast, heavy songs ("Descending Upon Us," "LifeWar," the title track, "Tie This Around Your Neck") blend nü metal and metalcore, with Mudvayne-ish choruses; the slower tracks ("Driving Nails," "Feel As Though You Could," "Blood In The Tears") slather on the electronics and synthesized string patches, winding up in Linkin Park territory. The breakdowns and bottom-heavy riffing that dominated previous DH albums The Triptych and Storm The Gates Of Hell are still very much present, though the occasional rapped vocals of earlier years have been replaced by even more shouting (and a little bit more crooning). They're committed salesmen of spirituality, and they're clearly unwilling to take no for an answer.

FROM FIRST TO LAST
Throne to the Wolves (Rise)
From First To Last are coming out swinging, determined to earn back fans' trust after their disappointing third album, From First To Last, released to a resounding thud on Geffen imprint Suretone in 2007. Vocalist/guitarist Matt Good has finally become a true frontman; his sneering, whisper-to-a-scream vocal assault is captivating, and the band create a whirlwind of metallic riffs and thunderous beats (some real, some programmed) behind him. "I'd rather be a starving artist than a wealthy critic," Good howls on Throne To The Wolves' lead cut, "Cashing Out," and he's utterly convincing. With the support of a new label, Rise, FFTL have nothing to lose by being utterly themselves. The blazing electro-thrash of "Elvis Said" is balanced by the prog-metal balladry of "You, Me And The Significant Others," while the album's closer, "Now That You're Gone," creates dissonance with synth and Auto-Tune. Even with only two founding members still around, it's good to have the old, weird FFTL back.