Album Review: Last Of The Believers - 'Paper Ships Under A Burning Bridge'

When ex or current members of

prominent bands get together to make some new noise – in this case

some dudes from Ignite, Reach The Sky and Rise Against - the results

can be somewhat mediocre. Sure, you know the guys in the new group can

definitely play but sometimes the magic just isn’t there. While “Paper

Ships Under A Burning Bridge” isn’t going to reinvent the punk rock

wheel, “Last Of The Believers” have delivered an EP which is as

memorable as it is melodic. 

Opening track “Dissent” is

an upbeat number which has everything you’d expect from a band with

this pedigree. Punchy riffs and gang vocals are the order of the day…

but as tired as this recipe may look on paper LOTB do it well.  

“Throwing Matches” has more

of an emphasis on clean vocals and chorus hooks. Couple that with its

mid tempo pace and you’ve got a sing a long on your hands. 

A guest appearance from Dave Peters

of Throwdown makes “Workhorse” your more straight up hardcore fanfare,

but again, the quality of the song writing on offer makes the tune far

more enjoyable than a lot of similar records I’ve heard in the last

12 months.  

Chalk it up to the band members

many years experience in other similar acts, but “Last Of The Believers”

have released one of my favourite punk/hardcore records of 2007. It’s

only so check it out!

1. Dissent
2. Throwing Matches
3. Workhorse
4. You Get What You Get
5. Fists Up