| Musical Style: Metal/Hard Rock | Produced By: Dino Maddalone & Later Reign |
| Record Label: Roxx Records | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2024 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 10 | Rating: 85% |
| Running Time: 43:58 |
With the January of 2022 re-release to its 1991 debut Live For The Day via Roxx Records, Ontario, California based Latter Reign caught our attention with a catchy and high energy hair to glam to pop metal sound distinctive to the late eighties era in which it traces its beginnings. Aptly entitled July of 2022 Roxx Records sophomore effort II, consisting of songs the group wrote and performed back in the day but never previously release, maintained a similar musical basis but more commercial with a melodic hard rock bent not that far removed from Guardian and Fear Not.
On its March of 2024 third album Order To Chaos (also Roxx), Latter Reign also pulled from the vault a collection of songs written and recorded over thirty years ago that had not seen t he light of day. Main difference with Order To Chaos, however, is manner in which it proves heavier and more experimental, with Latter Reign staying true to its melodic metal and hard rock roots but similar to many bands during the grunge wave not afraid to step outside the box and make its sound more relevant with the musical sign of the times.
Consider in this capacity opener “Chill”, five minutes of rumbling bass, catchy guitar riffs, bluesy shred soloing and all the draw you in at once hooks you could ask (chorus is MEGA-huge). If “Chill” is not the groups finest, it at the very least ranks with albums choice tracks- place it on mid-nineties radio and I see it potentially dominating! Bassist July Cardenas is no small talent.
“Change” is every bit good but truncated at three minutes. With Stan Hack’s superlative timekeeping leading the way, the song proves undeniably infectious with darkly woven backing vocals emboldening the refuse to go away melody and non-stop energy to command. Yes, the song has a ‘current’ nineties flair, but it also fails to forsake the eighties groundwork in which the group traces its lineage. Lyric snippet:
Walking on the right road
Watching you go by
Some of you will laugh today but later on will cry
Some will resist, some will receive
All the wicked ways of sin
Some will live, and some will die
Last and never to be found again
After initiating to one of the best one-two opening songs punch I have heard this year, album takes a slight step back with “Had A Dream”. Whereas the song is still quite good, it is almost unfair following the brilliance of the two preceding it! Musically, it tempers to a mid-paced groove, with flowing vocal melodies that walk a fine line between King’s X and Lovewar and added profound bass tincturing. Lone complaint is that the continuously repeated ‘nuh-nuh-nuh’ backing vocals over the final minute can get repetitious.
“RU” better gets things back on track. It also trends the mid-tempo, but heavier as crunch laded in and out of the mix rhythm guitar aligns with occasional funky to groove guitar signatures to extent Lovewar again comes to mind. The succeeding elevating on high melody brings a commercial but not to fault basis. Lyric snippet:
And the light of day peaks in my mind
Searching for the heart of gold
The autumn leaves fall from the sky
And the more I think, the less I know
I’ve been trying to convince myself
There’s nothing wrong, there’s nothing right
Save me from my troubled ways
How much longer must I sway
Four songs in and it cannot be denied manner in which the gritty and raspy vocals to founding member Luis Cardenas help invite the groups comparison to Guardian and Fear Not. I identify with him as walking a fine line between Jamie Rowe (former) and Larry Worley (latter).
“Throw Me A Line” represents one of albums most up-tempo. It jumps out of the gate at once, storming its distance with a straight on metal edge to see non-stop catchy hooks and guitarist Brad Smith’s enduring riff proclivity and bluesy soloing prevail. The hook and groove underpinning speaks of King’s X.
I find “In My Life” albums most inventive. Songs first minute impresses as an acoustic ballad in which bluesy guitar and atmospheric overtures play lead roles. At moments notice, however, hard rock guitars punch in to combine with echoing backing vocals to set a doom like tone, particularly for the reverberant (and quite catchy) refrain. I can see Place Of Skulls doing something like this. Lyric snippet:
In my life, I’ve tried to do all the things
That are gonna keep me feeling all right
And I find that it’s all temporary,
All the feelings, the voices, the fight
Lord, I hide
It’s so hard to change my ways when I am far away
I’m alive and Your love is more
I just can’t understand
How Your mercy still holds
“S.O.T. (Sign Of The Times)” hits hard from the get go with near militant rhythms that pause for a brief drum solo. The song unleashes in full force moving forward, decelerating for its stylish verse sections amalgamating spoken word delivery and melodic bass (akin to Bride’s “Hot Down South Tonight) ahead of a pointed chorus repeating the phrase ‘No, no, no… Don’t walk away’ in down tuned fashion. Quieter moments reflect upon the melodic. Lyric snippet:
Artificial peace of mind
Uncontrolled desires such is life
When you need a fix doesn’t matter
What you do, steal, kill or say
Hook on this , strung up on that
Addicted to those, we’re losing track
A generation so corrupt
Wrong is right, and right is wrong
“Order To Chaos” challenges “Chill” for albums finest. It at the very least rates with the catchiest, as revealed in the noteworthy hooks and mammoth riffs that dominate (refrain again is HUGE) in pointing to the commercial but without forsaking the guitar fortitude. I appreciate equally the instrumental emphasis with the opening jam based moments and swarthy mid-point lead and rhythm guitar run. Lyric snippet:
We had such a good life
We were younger, we were kinder
Turning from Grace that was given
Trampled under
We were known for loving
There was nothing to divide us
And now we have chosen
To surrender to confusion
Lone ballad “Try Again” is very good. With acoustic guitar and viola leading the way, it highlights underpins a sweeping basis to see Luis’ smooth vocal tendencies coalesce with atmospheric nuances. Closing the album is a Spanish version to the song entitled “Otra Vez”.
Order To Chaos pinpoints its share of monster material, with “Chill”, “Change” “Throw Me A Line”, “In My Life” and albums title track home to riffs, hooks and melodies that refuse to quit. Everything else is quite solid. Whereas I am not a fan of the ‘Seattle sound’, I take to the tasteful manner in which the group aligns a metal and hard rock basis with lightly done but effective nineties elements. Of course, the talent of the four Latter Reign members makes it work and serves to tie everything together. Give credit to Roxx Records for making the groups previously hard to find if not unavailable series of three albums available. Only thing at this point is for Latter Reign to reform and record an album of new material.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Chill” (4:59), “Change” (3:10), “Had A Dream” (4:11), “RU” (4:14), “Throw Me A Line” (3:48), “In My Life” (3:47), “S.O.T. (Sign Of The Times)” (4:40), “Order To Chaos” (5:39), “Try Again” (4:44), “Otra Vez” (4:44)
10. “Otra Vez” (4:44)
Musicians
Luis Cardenas - Lead Vocals & Percussion
Brad Smith - Guitars
July Cardenas - Bass
Stan Hack - Drums
