letlive

Letlive, styled letlive., is an American post-hardcore band from Los Angeles, California. The band consists of lead vocalist Jason Aalon Alexander Butler (son of Aalon Butler, vocalist and guitarist of the soul group Aalon), guitarists Jean Nascimento and Jeff Sahyoun, bassist Ryan Jay Johnson and drummer Loniel Robinson. Butler is the band's only remaining founding member. The band has released three full-length albums and one EP, and is currently signed to Epitaph Records. letlive. released their first EP Exhaustion, Salt Water, and Everything In Between in 2003 and their first LP Speak Like You Talk in 2005. Their second album, Fake History was released in 2010. Upon its re-release on Epitaph in 2011, the album received critical praise and also was added to Rock Sound's 101 Modern Classics. Their third album, entitled The Blackest Beautiful was released on July 9, 2013 and on June 17 was streamed on Epitaph Records' YouTube channel. They have toured with bands such as A Day to Remember, Architects, Enter Shikari, Underoath, Every Time I Die, Your Demise, Deftones and Bring Me The Horizon.

Biography: letlive. formed in Los Angeles in 2002. In 2003, their debut EP Exhaustion, Saltwater, and Everything in Between was released on At One Records. After a line-up change (with vocalist Jason Aalon Alexander Butler, then-bassist Christian Johanson and then-guitarist Ben Sharp remaining), their first album Speak Like You Talk was released in 2005, also on At One Records. The group gained momentum and after more personnel changes, signed with Tragic Hero Records in 2009. letlive. toured extensively throughout the US and Canada and recorded their second album titled Fake History in 2009. The band continued touring and after signing with Epitaph Records in February 2011, undertook a brief European tour. They were signed to Epitaph after Bring Me the Horizon frontman Oliver Sykes contacted label owner Brett Gurewitz after watching them perform at a single gig in 2008. Epitaph re-released Fake History in April 2011 with three additional tracks, including two B-sides and one new song produced by Brett Gurewitz. The re-release has been the subject of several favorable reviews from Allmusic,Alternative Press, the BBC and Rock Sound. Starting in June 2011, the band undertook more extensive touring, including appearances at Download Festival and Leeds Festival, supporting Enter Shikari and Your Demise on their mainland European tour, and, in the United States, supporting Underoath and August Burns Red. In February 2012, letlive. toured again with Enter Shikari and Your Demise for their first time around Australia as a part of the 2012 Soundwave Festival. Butler also featured on track Tangled In The Great Escape from Pierce The Veil's album Collide with the Sky. In October 2012, the band announced they had parted ways with drummer Anthony Rivera. In an interview with the band in late February 2013, vocalist Jason Aalon Alexander Butler confirmed they would release a new album in early summer 2013. On April 23, the tracklist for the Warped Tour 2013 compilation album was released, including a new song titled "Banshee (Ghost Fame)". A preview of the song can be heard on iTunes. In late May 2013, Amazon listed on their website a new letlive. album titled The Blackest Beautiful to be released on July 9, 2013, which was confirmed on May 25 by Absolutepunk with a full track listing. On June 4, the single "Banshee (Ghost Fame)" was released. On June 17, the full album was streamed on the Rock Sound website, three weeks before the scheduled release. The Blackest Beautiful was released on July 9, 2013 to positive critical reception. Also in an interview from Fuse released on July 16, it was confirmed that Loniel Robinson, their then-touring drummer as well as drum tech for Of Mice & Men would become a permanent member. The album debuted in the United States at number 74 on the Billboard 200 and number six on Hard Rock Albums, selling nearly five thousand copies. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 62. At Warped Tour, Jason Aalon was seen performing with bands The Chariot and Architects. A music video for the song "Younger" was released on September 26, 2013. On January 23, letlive. revealed that they are releasing "Renditions" of songs on The Blackest Beautiful featuring various artist on remade versions of the songs. The first "rendition" released was a new version of "27 Club" featuring Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die. On April 23, their second "rendition" released was a new version of "The Dope Beat" featuring Dan "Soupy" Campbell of The Wonder Years.

Musical style and influences: letlive. have been noted for their progressive post-hardcore sound that ranges through genres such as alternative metal, experimental rock and hardcore punk. Frontman Jason Butler has cited bands Glassjaw, Deftones, Slayer and Refused as key sources of influences, but all members of the band stem from their own musical backgrounds. Other characteristics of letlive.'s music include Jason Butler's unique, emotive vocal delivery, dueling guitars, intricate drumming and introspective lyrics that cover topics such as infidelity, culture, greed and corruption. The band has also been recognized for their intense live shows in where Jason Butler will often destroy and throw equipment and lunge carelessly into the crowd; often injuring himself repeatedly.

Personnel: Timeline

Current members Jason Aalon Alexander Butler - lead vocals (2002-present), Jean Francisco Nascimento - rhythm guitar, percussion (2007-present), Jeff Sahyoun - lead guitar, backing vocals (2009-present), Ryan Jay Johnson - bass, backing vocals (2005-present), Loniel Robinson - drums (2013-present), Former members Ben Sharp - guitar (2002-2007), Keeyan Majdi - guitar (2002-2003), Craig Sanchez - guitar (2003-2005), Omid Majdi - guitar (2005-2007), Brenden Russel - guitar (2007-2009), Christian Johansen - bass guitar (2002-2005), Alex Haythorn - drums (2002-2004), Adam Castle - drums (2004-2007), Anthony Rivera - drums, percussion (2007-2012), Touring members Aric Improta - drums, percussion (2012-2013), Studio Musicians Christopher Crandall - drums, percussion (2012-2013)