| Last Chance to Reason | |
| Image Upright: | 1.2 |
| Background: | group_or_band |
| Origin: | Augusta, Maine, U.S. |
| Genre: | Progressive metal, metalcore |
| Years Active: | 2004–present |
| Label: | Tribunal, Prosthetic[1] |
| Associated Acts: | The Contortionist |
| Current Members: | Chris Corey Evan Sammons A.J. Harvey Michael Lessard |
Last Chance to Reason is an American progressive metal band from Augusta, Maine. Their debut album, Lvl. 1, was released through Tribunal Records in 2007. Their first major label debut, Level 2, came in 2011 through Prosthetic Records. The band's third studio album, Level 3, was released on August 6, 2013.
Last Chance to Reason toured throughout 2005,2006 and 2007 supporting their first EP. Shows with Unearth, The Autumn Offering and As I Lay Dying helped their fan base grow. Several DIY tours and show trading helped LCTR become a staple of the central Maine metal scene. During these times the band experienced several lineup changes. It was also during this time that the band released their first music video for their song "SBTBATAC", filmed and edited by award winning director Kevin James Custer.
2007 saw the group's first major lineup change with the departure of guitarist Dustin Boudreau, vocalist Mike Levenseller and the arrival of Bob Delaney. Delaney, a staple of the Maine music scene, became the vocalist for the band's first LP release, Lvl. 1, and would stay with the band until 2008. This also marked a change in style for the band, moving from mathcore to a more progressive based sound. Lvl. 1 was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jamie King in North Carolina and released by Tribunal Records in August 2007. Influences from video games to King Crimson saw the band take on new song structures and melodies. Touring for Lvl. 1 was intense and almost non-stop. Tours with Look What I Did and Car Bomb helped the bands fan base grow even larger.
Writing for Level 2 began in late 2007 with drummer Evan Sammons and guitarist A.J. Harvey writing and recording a basic demos of the record. In September 2008 it was announced that Mike Lessard would be taking over vocal duties and Delaney would no longer be in the band, the departure was seen as amicable for both parties involved. With the vocal situation settled the band began to focus on recruiting a second guitarist, this spot would be filled by Evan Haines. However Haines would eventually be replaced by longtime friend Tom Waterhouse in the summer of 2010. After writing for Level 2 was complete, the band recruited friend and original producer of Lvl 1, Jamie King, to record the album in North Carolina. The drums and vocals were recorded entirely with King, while guitar, bass, and keyboards were recorded by the band at their Mother Brain studios in central Maine. The album was edited, mixed and mastered by King and released on April 12, 2011 through Prosthetic Records. Guitarist Thomas Waterhouse and keyboardist Brian Palmer left the band in early August 2011 during a tour of America, reducing the line-up to four again,[2] before recruiting Mike Abdow as a replacement for Waterhouse.
Last Chance to Reason announced their third album, Level 3, via their Facebook page on June 20, 2013. The album was released through Prosthetic Records on August 6, 2013.[3] The band had previously said that Level 3 would be a concept album like Level 2. The next day, the band released the first single and music video entitled "The Escapist". They also announced that they be touring from July–August in support of the album, with Evan Brewer supporting them on the tour. As well as this, it was announced that Robby Baca of The Contortionist would be filling on guitars in place of AJ Harvey and Mike Abdow, who left the band shortly after the completion of Level 3.
On June 21, 2013, Mike Lessard announced that he would now be the full-time vocalist for The Contortionist and that Last Chance To Reason would become a side project, as the band had come to a standstill after the completion of Level 3. He stated that discussions had already begun between him and Robby Baca regarding The Contortionist's third album and that he would be flying back to Indianapolis after Last Chance To Reason's North American tour to begin writing the album.[4]
On the future of the band, Evan Sammons said in July 2016, "There's no timeline for it, but it's been no secret that we plan to make another record."[5]
After an 11-year hiatus, Last Chance To Reason has returned with a new single titled "Digital Twin." The single showcases the band's original lineup, including vocalist Michael Lessard (The Contortionist), guitarist A.J. Harvey, bassist Chris Corey, and drummer Evan Sammons (Caricature), alongside Arch Echo keyboardist Joey Izzo.
"Digital Twin" comes with a visually compelling music video directed by Ben Levin. The music was produced and engineered by Sammons, with the mix and master handled by Jamie King.
An exclusive Patreon page was opened to mark the beginning of the band's era as a fully independent band, featuring early access to new music and videos, tablature, live streams, and more!
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Lvl. 1 | Tribunal Records |
| 2011 | Level 2 | Prosthetic Records |
| 2013 | Level 3 |
| Year | Song | Album | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Somewhere Between the Bedroom and the Abortion Clinic" | Dreamt of an Angel, Woke with a Nightmare | Kevin James Custer |
| 2008 | "Get Awesome" | Lvl. 1 | Michael Dafferner |
| 2011 | "Upload Complete" | Level 2 | Corey Norman |
| "The Prototype" | |||
| 2013 | "The Escapist" | Level 3 |