Sin City is known for churning out more than a few musical success stories over the years and with the release of ‘Party Through Apocalypse’, First Class Trash seems destined for wide acclaim in and out of the confines of Las Vegas. Formed from the ashes of Florida’s Stained Angel, vocalist/guitarist Eli Raider and bassist Kyle Mead have joined forces with keyboardist/vocalist Vyla Vice (Eyes Like Diamonds), guitarist J. Boynton and drummer Moyer Smith in this electronic-hard rock outfit known as First Class Trash. While most of 2012 was spent solidifying the current line-up, songwriter Raider spent his days crafting the 6 songs that make up ‘Party Through Apocalypse’, an often dark journey through re-invention and retribution. To say that Eli Raider is a prolific songwriter is an understatement, as dozens of nearly completed songs lay in waiting from his year of steering FCT to this moment. While many bands rely on sub-par “indie” releases as their first recorded output, FCT has birthed a debut that could and should find it’s way to rock radio with enough attention and determination. Produced by Eli Raider and mixed by Patrick Crisci (Dreamscar), this homegrown recording sounds fantastic in every way and outshines many big budget debuts with ease. Kicking off with the looming ‘Nasty Addiction’, the band aims at a full on assault of melody in Vice’s electronic opening, accompanied by Eli Raider’s powerful, clear vocals. The blend of dense riffs and soft electronic landscapes lead to the tracks commanding chorus and massive Raider guitar solo. To know the evolution of ‘Nasty Addiction’ as I do, it stands as a defining moment in the genesis of the sound that makes First Class Trash true standouts in rock music. No sooner has the last strains of ‘Nasty Addiction’ left your already impressed ears, the pounding, hook-laden ‘Bite Me Like You Mean It’ cascades from every direction in a hurricane of scathing Raider/ Vice vocal call and response. Violently surrounded by a virtual wall of guitars and gut blasting beats, ‘Bite Me…’ goes for the throat and never loses it’s grip. The male/ female dynamic of FCT shows it’s muscle from start to finish and firmly places Eli Raider and Vyla Vice as freaks of nature when it comes to strong pipes. To call ‘Deadheart’ a standout track on an EP packed with 6 true standouts is a stretch, but it being my favorite from it’s birth, I have a bond to this dark, new wave-ish track. It’s haunting keys and machine gun drums give way to a hook and chorus so strong, it’s simply ridiculous. Ramped up to a near breakneck speed, ‘Deadheart’ never loses it’s melodic soul….a soul that is wrapped in Raider’s lyrics of bloodlust and obsession. The sparse, pulsing opening to the brutally honest and political ‘Revenge & Revolution gives little indication to the fury unleashed within it’s three and a half minutes. A charging barrage of feedback slithers it’s way throughout the track, bolstered by the bands’ unique instrumentation and timing, the song explodes into a fist raising rally of frustration and uprising in these uncertain times. Relentless in it’s momentum, ‘Revenge & Revolution’ may be polarizing to some, but isn’t that the point? Thought provoking and representing the band at their heaviest, this Raider led monster is ferocious. If the last track was FCT bending the boundaries of hard rock, then ‘Killing Me’ is an example of just how heavy electronics can be in the right hands. A song that has gone trough many evolutions, the addition of Vyla Vice is clearly the missing piece to this obsessive valentine. The electrifying beat that leads ‘Killing Me’ takes center stage, making way for another fine twin vocal performance from both Raider and Vice, while a killer solo highlights Raider’s gift as a lead guitarist. That takes us to the final track on this startling debut from First Class Trash…’Sleaze and Thank You’. Demonstrating yet another weapon in their arsenal, ‘Sleaze…’ begins with Vyla Vice’s ethereal harmony, quickly followed by a vicious spoken word rant courtesy of Eli Raider, before blasting into a stuck-in-your-brain kiss off of epic proportions. A perfect send off to a perfect EP, Raider’s artery crushing tirade climaxes in a wave of maniacal screams and assassination via guitar. The best debut of 2012 by a mile, First Class Trash has created a sound all their own and trust me….this band will be huge!
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