Letlive

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letlive.

Letlive. performing on Warped Tour in 2013
Background information
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Post-hardcore, progressive rock, experimental rock, alternative metal
Years active 2002 (2002)–present
Labels At One (2004–2009)
Tragic Hero (2009–2010)
Epitaph (2011–present)
Associated acts Pierce The Veil, Of Mice & Men (band), Underoath
Members Jason Aalon Butler
Ryan Jay Johnson
Jean Nascimento
Jeff Sahyoun
Loniel Robinson
Past members Christian Johansen
Keeyan Majdi
Alex Haythorne
Benjamin Sharp
Adam Castle
Craig Sanchez
Omid Majdi
Jonathan Charles
Richard Weikel
Brenden Russel
Anthony Rivera

Letlive (stylized as letlive.) [1] is an American post-hardcore band from Los Angeles, California. The band consists of lead vocalist Jason Aalon Butler (son of Aalon Butler, vocalist and guitarist of the soul group Aalon), guitarists Jean Nascimento and Jeff Sahyoun, bassist Ryan Jay Johnson and drummer Loniel Robinson. Butler is the bands' only remaining founding member.[2] The band has released three albums and is currently signed to Epitaph Records.

letlive. released their first EP Exhaustion, Salt Water, and Everything In Between in 2003 and their first LP Speak Like You Talk in 2005. Their second album, Fake History was released in 2010. Upon its re-release on Epitaph in 2011, the album received critical praise and also was added to Rock Sound's 101 Modern Classics.[3]

Their third album, entitled The Blackest Beautiful was released on July 9, 2013 and on June 17 was streamed on Epitaph Records' YouTube channel.[4]

They have toured with bands such as Enter Shikari, Underoath, Every Time I Die, Your Demise, Deftones and Bring Me The Horizon.

Biography

letlive. formed in Los Angeles in 2002.[2] In 2003, their debut EP Exhaustion, Saltwater, and Everything in Between was released on At One Records. After a line-up change (with vocalist Jason Aalon Butler, then-bassist Christian Johanson and then-guitarist Ben Sharp remaining), their first album Speak Like You Talk was released in 2005, also on At One Records. The group gained momentum and after more personnel changes, signed with Tragic Hero Records in 2009.

letlive. toured extensively throughout the US and Canada and recorded their second album titled Fake History in 2009. The band continued touring and after signing with Epitaph Records in February 2011, undertook a brief European tour.[5] They were signed to Epitaph after Bring Me the Horizon frontman Oliver Sykes contacted label owner Brett Gurewitz after watching them perform at a single gig in 2008.[1]

Epitaph re-released Fake History in April 2011 with three additional tracks, including two B-sides and one new song produced by Brett Gurewitz.[6] The re-release has been the subject of several favorable reviews from Allmusic,[7] Alternative Press,[8] the BBC[9] and Rock Sound.[10] Starting in June 2011, the band undertook more extensive touring,[6] including appearances at Download Festival and Leeds Festival, supporting Enter Shikari and Your Demise on their mainland European tour, and, in the United States, supporting Underoath and August Burns Red.[11] In February 2012, letlive. toured again with Enter Shikari and Your Demise for their first time around Australia as a part of the 2012 Soundwave Festival.[12]

In October 2012, the band announced they had parted ways with drummer Anthony Rivera.

In an interview with the band in late February 2013, vocalist Jason Aalon Butler confirmed they would release a new album in early summer 2013. On April 23, the tracklist for the Warped Tour 2013 compilation album was released, including a new song titled "Banshee (Ghost Fame)". A preview of the song can be heard on iTunes. In late May 2013, Amazon listed on their website a new letlive. album titled The Blackest Beautiful to be released on July 9, 2013, which was confirmed on May 25 by Absolutepunk with a full track listing.

On June 4, the single "Banshee (Ghost Fame)" was released.

On June 17, the full album was streamed on the Rock Sound website, three weeks before the scheduled release.[4]

The Blackest Beautiful was released on July 9, 2013 to positive critical reception. Also in an interview from Fuse released on July 16, it was confirmed that their touring drummer and the drum tech from Of Mice & Men would become a permanent member.[13]

At Warped Tour, Jason Aalon was seen performing with bands The Chariot and Architects.

A music video for the song "Younger" was released on September 26, 2013.

On January 23rd, letlive. revealed that they are releasing "Renditions" of songs on The Blackest Beautiful featuring various artist on remade versions of the songs. The first one, released the same day, features frontman of Every Time I Die. It is a new version of 27 Club.

Musical style and influences

Letlive have been noted for their progressive post-hardcore sound that ranges through genres such as alternative metal, experimental rock and hardcore punk. Frontman Jason Aalon has cited bands Deftones, Slayer and Refused as key sources of influences, but all members of the band stem from their own musical backgrounds.

Other characteristics of Letlive's music include Jason Aalon's unique, emotive vocal delivery, dueling guitars, intricate drumming and introspective lyrics that cover topics such as infidelity, culture, greed and corruption.

The band has also been recognized for their intense live shows in where Jason Aalon will often destroy and throw equipment and lunge carelessly into the crowd; often injuring himself repeatedly.

Personnel

Current members
  • Jason Aalon Alexander Butler – lead vocals (2002–present)
  • Jean Francisco Nascimento – guitar, percussion (2007–present)
  • Jeff Sahyoun – guitar, vocals (2009–present)
  • Ryan Jay Johnson – bass, backing vocals (2005–present)
  • Loniel Robinson – drums (2013–present)[13]
Former members
  • Ben Sharp - guitar (2002-2007)
  • Keeyan Majdi - guitar (2002-2003)
  • Craig Sanchez - guitar (2003-2005)
  • Omid Majdi - guitar (2005-2007)
  • Brenden Russel - guitar (2007-2009)
  • Christian Johansen - bass guitar (2002-2005)
  • Alex Haythorn - drums (2002-2004)
  • Adam Castle - drums (2004-2007)
  • Anthony Rivera – drums, percussion (2007-2012)
Touring members
  • Aric Improta – drums, percussion (2012-2013)
Studio Musicians
  • Christopher Crandall – drums, percussion (2012-2013)

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions
US
2005 Speak Like You Talk
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: At One
  • Formats: CD, Download
 —
2010 Fake History
  • Released: 2010
  • Label: Tragic Hero, (2011, Epitaph re-release)
  • Formats: CD, Download, Vinyl
 —
2013 The Blackest Beautiful
  • Released: July 9, 2013
  • Label: Epitaph
  • Formats: CD, Download, Vinyl
 74
"—" denotes a title that did not chart.

EPs

  • Exhaustion, Salt Water, and Everything in Between (2003)

Videography

  • "Showcase Heart" (2003)
  • "Casino Columbus" (2010)
  • "The Sick, Sick, 6.8 Billion" (2011)
  • "Renegade 86'" (2011)
  • "Muther" (2012)
  • "Banshee (Ghost Fame)" (2013)
  • "Younger" (2013)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Christopher McLallen (April 2011). "Letlive. lound as shit and with some pretty big deal friends, meet the band you'll tell people you saw when they were small". In Joe Barnes. Front (London: The Kane Corporation) (155): pages32–33. ISSN 1464-4053. OCLC 226099638. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Heaney, Gregory. "Letlive - Music Biography, Credits and Discography : AllMusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 15, 2011. 
  3. ↑ "Rock Sound’s 101 Modern Classics: 74 - 50". Rock Sound. Freeway Press. June 27, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012. "Few albums encapsulate the idea of a modern classic quite as perfectly as this one. The essence of hardcore distilled by five LA lifers, ‘Fake History’ is at once a howl of vulnerability and a fuck-you-you-will-never-break-me clarion call of utter defiance. Truly, genuinely thrilling." 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 letlive. Hit The Cover Of Rock Sound Magazine, Out Wednesday June 19th! | News | Rock Sound. Rocksound.tv. Retrieved on 2013-08-06.
  5. ↑ Patashnik, Ben (February 25, 2011). "Letlive Q+A: ‘I want people to have a human experience’". Rock Sound. Freeway Press. Retrieved April 15, 2011. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "letlive. – Artist Info". Epitaph Records. 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2011. 
  7. ↑ Heaney, Gregory (2011). "Fake History – Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 12, 2011. 
  8. ↑ Pearlman, Mischa (2011). "Reviews – Fake History". Alternative Press. Retrieved April 12, 2011. 
  9. ↑ Pearlman, Mischa (April 6, 2011). "Letlive Fake History Review". BBC Music. Retrieved April 15, 2011. 
  10. ↑ Newbound (April 11, 2011). "letlive. – Fake History Album review". Rock Sound. Freeway Press. Retrieved April 12, 2011. 
  11. ↑ "A Bazillion New Download Bands". Rock Sound. April 8, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2011. 
  12. ↑ "Soundwave 2012 lineup". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. January 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2012. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Melody in the Chaos: Letlive.'s Jason Butler on His Troubled Youth and 'The Blackest Beautiful' - Fuse. Fuse.tv (2013-06-20). Retrieved on 2013-08-06.

External links

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