Late for Nothing

The self-described experimental metal outfit Iwrestledabearonce (IWABO for short) recently released their third full-length effort - Late for Nothing.  Although not a household name, IWABO has divided metalcore fans over the years with their hipster irreverence.  That fanbase may become just a bit more divided with the arrival of new lead singer Courtney LaPlante.

LaPlante replaces former IWABO singer Krysta Cameron after Cameron pulled out of last summer's Warped Tour due to her pregnancy.  On only 24 hours notice, LaPlante joined the band and started the tour sans practice or rehearsal.  Her position was thought to be temporary until bassist Mike Martin announced that LaPlante would be a permanent replacement.  Fans might find it difficult to move on, but rest assured that the same level of guitar thrashing and screaming is present on the new album.  With titles that are unrelated to the songs and little in terms of lyrical hooks, IWABO's Late for Nothing fits well with the ironic Hot Topic fanbase they cater to.

Listeners get their first chance to hear LaPlante on the opener "Thunder Chunky."  In all honesty, if not for the portions of clear vocals in the track, I would incorrectly assume that the screaming vocalist was a man.  LaPlante showcases her talent on my personal favorite, "Boat Paddle," which features a greater amount of clear singing than the majority of Late for Nothing.  The way she stretches the word "Night" repeatedly towards the beginning of the track is quite catchy for a band that doesn't use hooks.  "Mind The Gap" is the only song on the album consisting of entirely audible, non-screeching vocals.

Late for Nothing is top-heavy when it comes to the tunes, so the second half of the album becomes rather drawn-out.  The highlight is easily "Carnage Asada" when the track suddenly switches to a Latin sound provided by a random guitar solo from Steve Vai.  No one saw that coming.  Unfortunately, the majority of Late for Nothing is formulaic in nature and nothing really stands out as a result.  Every song starts with some screaming, changes to some clear vocals, rinse, repeat.  Most metalcore fans will probably enjoy Late for Nothing, but the repetitive song structure makes it difficult to recommend for newbies.