Review: Famous Last Words – Two-Faced Charade

Artist: Famous Last Words
Album: Two-Faced Charade
Rating: 9/10

Members:

JT Tollas – Vocals
Ethan Osborn – Lead Guitar
Craig Simons – Drums
Tyler Myklebust – Guitar
Jesse Maddy – Bass

Famous Last Words out of Michigan are a band who, many thought, didn’t have what it took to make it in the music scene. However, after only 3 years as a band, they are proving those notions wrong! With the release of their debut EP “Pick Your Poison”, which had a limited number of hard copies through MerchNow, they saw the album being sold out pretty quickly! A little over 2 years later, the band is geared up to release their debut full-length album “Two-Faced Charade” which will redefine who they are as a band. The album tells a love story with a sick twist and the band has released the ebook containing that story for free download via their Facebook page.

While there are many incredible elements to this album, it’s the story that will really draw you in.

We open the album with “Welcome to the Show” which comes in with a circus-like intro, setting the scene for the gruesome story about to be told. We find our main character staring into his neighbor’s window, longing for the girl he’s watching to be his. “I’m watching in, I’m watching in, like an arcane guardian. I spy with my wretched eye, she’s like a drug that intensifies demented minds, but I will strive to have her forever by my side.” We then get to meet his “other self” who chimes in and tries to explain to him how pathetic he looks as he stares every day, rather than doing something about it and claiming his prize. He proceeds to convince himself that he’s not crazy and we’re lead into our next scene.

“Victim of the Virtuoso” begins as we see our main character following his “perfect girl” and continuing to argue with himself, eventually seeing the more demented side grow stronger and set himself free.

As he crawls out and stands before his weaker self, “The Relentless” begins. Staring into the eyes of a “cold blooded monster born from pure jealousy” As the story progresses and we learn more of what this vile being intends to do about the scene,  we start to see just how persuasive he can be. “You cast the parts it’s plain to see, I’m just an extra as he takes the lead. The curtains rise to reveal act one the first scene starts the tragedy to come and everyone can tell right from the start there’s bound to be a broken heart.” He starts to gain a little more control as he fights his darker side and thinks “This must be a dream, will I awaken from this nightmare that has taken ahold of me? My sanity has illuded me. It makes me wanna scream…”

“Voices” is where he learns of Elise’s lover and becomes absolutely livid with rage. “Mysterious, unwelcomed guest… Who the fuck is this?! She was not alone!” He begins to plot how he will take care of this problem and claim the one he’s longed for so long. “I’ll take him six feet under the fucking ground! Maybe he’ll get crushed and never be found, maybe he will fall or maybe he will drown! Either way I’m sure to take him down!”

He comes to his senses and a feeling of hopelessness overcomes him as we begin “Lust of the Lost” “I try to find as I search  my mind, will you take his hand and leave me behind? The isle clears as my hope illudes” He starts to feel overcome by rage once more and he and his other self begin to plot out the perfect way to get rid of their problem.

“Legends and Legacies” begins with the other man being invited in as this sick tragedy begins to take the gruesome turn we’ve all been waiting for. The darker, more evil side of our main character takes over and the plan begins to to be put into action. “This night reveals the main I really am! A shade of red stained on my hands, I strike again I swing and I stab as the blade sinks deeper within. This night reveals the man I really am! A prisoner set on death row, now his sentence begins!” The man screams and begs for his life but “looks like I’ll disappoint this time” He tells the man “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us” Knowing he has succeeded in wiping the other man from existence and he tells him, right before he fades into the darkness that is death “Your death it, it was her love. I knew you’d be the one I’d have to cut up. My enemy you won’t rest in peace! Your last mistake was fucking with me!”

The scene ends and “”In Perfect Hindsight” begins, which serves as an intermission in our horror story.

As the interlude ends, the lights fade and we’re back to our story. “To Play Hide and Seek With Jealousy” begins and the man finishes the deed, chopping his enemy into pieces and preparing to bury him. He thinks to himself, “hide and seek a sick game of desiny and this round you will never win (You know you’ll never find him!) Here we go, count to ten let’s start this show. Where you’ve gone she will never know!” As the track comes to a close we find the man chanting “I’m a savior, I’m a sinner, I’m a sick cold hearted killer. I’m a lover, I’m a winner, and I’d do it all to steal her from a life she thinks she wants but I know she would regret. Living life out with another man and now he’s fucking dead. It’s sadistic, it’s pathetic, so simplistic, it’s poetic. It’s ironic, so psychotic and I really, really want it. So I took what I deserved and I said “Hey, well fuck the price!” So I cut him into pieces, took my demons own advice Now you’re all mine!”

“Searching for a Home” is a tale of the part of the story where the man begins to struggle with his feelings about what he’s done. The demon inside of him begins to try to convince him to go claim his prize, rather than wallowing in sorrow and feeling sick to his stomach about what he has just done. “So let’s pretend this went exactly as we intended, so dry your tears, no more tears. We’ll scream, “Let’s go get it!” and when the world turns it’s back on you, I’ll be waiting here for you. No regrets, don’t you quit!”

“Even A Ghost Has A Sanctuary” is where the man goes to claim his prize, but Elise learns what he has done and calls him a monster. He tries to convince her that he has done it all for her and she argues that he did it for himself and tells him how sick he is. “Don’t be afraid open your eyes, you may be in for a surprise. The light is closer than it may seem.”

“The Show Must Go On, Prt 1. & 2” end our story as the demon inside is screaming for him to take her now or she will get away and go tell the cops what he has done. She is constantly screaming, calling him names and telling him how selfish he is. He finally snaps, his rage overtakes him and he accidentally kills her. When he has realized what he’s done, he realizes he can’t live without her and takes his own life. Ending this sick tragedy.

Final Thoughts:

JT, Ethan, Craig, Tyler and Jesse all did an equally incredible job on making this album come together and the story behind it makes it even more intriguing. These guys really know what they’re doing and it’s very apparent by the caliber of musicianship on this album. Sure, some are going to call it generic and “unoriginal” but everyone has their opinions and, I for one, am honestly and truly impressed by this album. Don’t just take my word for it though, go pre-order your copy of “Two-Faced Charade” and find out for yourself! This album is the perfect mixture of harmony, aggression and dementia and it will take you for a ride!