About.com

After six years and four albums, Bay Area band Light This City has decided to call it a day. They had completed recording for Stormchaser when they announced their breakup, and it will be their swan song. Stormchaser expertly blends melodic death and thrash. The songs are fast and intense, but also very melodic. Guitarists Brian Forbes and Ryan Hansen unleash precise riffs and screaming solos. Some of the songs gallop along at a relentless pace, others settle into a more comfortable groove. Vocalist Laura Nichol is a powerhouse, and I’m sure we’ll be hearing from her again in the future. She growls with power, passion and intensity. One of the highlights of the CD is “Firehaven,” which features guest vocals from Testament’s Chuck Billy. Nichol and Billy sound great together. There’s also an appearance from The Funeral Pyre’s John Strachan. It’s better to go out with a bang than a whimper, and although it’s too bad fans won’t be able to see Light This City play these songs live, Stormchaser is a worthy farewell.

Metalreview.com

Light This City - the young, Californian wielders of what's left of the melodeath torch - lived quickly and flickered out abruptly. Stormchaser, their posthumous work of Bay Area-bred Euroshred, is easily the most accomplished record of their too-brief (and too frantic) career, a fact that is simultaneously tragic and ironic.

When the band announced that Stormchaser would be their final salvo, there wasn't exactly an outpouring of grief from the community-at-large. Despite displaying ample ferocity and enthusiasm over the course of their previous full-length albums (a nearly ludicrous three over a five year span), the band flashed little in the way of profound impact. Their last effort, Facing The Thousand, was impressive in its brickwalled, toothsmash, lets-crank-everything-to eleven sheen - but it was still an immature offering, favoring an all-out assault bordering on redundancy. Stormchaser, while not without shortcomings, presents itself encased in a maddening shroud of "what could've been".

Now, the band don't exactly explode out of the gate on this one. Opting to open with a title track built on a lazy, Enslaved-on-Xanax riff before settling into business as usual (even if said business is conducted in a more stoic, laconic manner), initial impressions fail to excite. And despite some impressive lead work, each of the first four tracks breeze by with nary a notable thunderstrike or whirlwind to speak of. Seemingly sensing the stagnancy, the band summons Chuck "I Make Everything Awesome" Billy for a guest spot on the raucous scorcher "Firehaven," and conjures an almost "Fall of Sipledome"- type steamroll. Finally, the cloud cover is lifted, and the proverbial tempest that the band has been pursuing for years finally makes its triumphant strike.

Stormchaser's second half absolutely rips. Bursting and broiling at a thrash-lovin' clip, these songs comprise the best stabs toward Gothenburg by an American band to date. Granted, one could argue that November 11, 2008 is little late to be taking that swipe, but it's better late than never. Also, belated blossoming has allowed slight outside influences to weasel their way into the At The Gates/Dark Tranquillity blueprint; the hints of (very) modern black metal riffing and Jeff Loomis chug-study have only served to enhance Light This City's attack.

"A Desperate Resolution" is a grin-inducing microcosm for their continental crossbreed. The fist-pounding climax will warm the heart of any longtime melodeath devotee; it's like finally seeing your stubborn Chia Pet sprout a healthy mane and flourish in its greenery. "Wake Me At Sunset" opens with a fantastic, galloping riff that wistfully evokes the vibe projected by the song's title. And the final two songs, "Sand and Snow" and "Self-Portrait," intertwine their melody and ferocity in a firestorm of prototypical bliss, fully embodying the essence of this wing of melodic death. Somber and punishing, yet still retaining the air-guitar joyousness that remains the crux of the style, these torrential tracks are a proud close to an impressive swansong.

Impressive, but far from flawless. Laura Nichols has done little to improve her monotonous razorgargle, and rarely (if ever) displays the earthquaking dynamics that her guitarists have harnessed. Ultra-pedestrian drumming also gives this weaponized skillet a bit of a Teflon coating. If all of the tracks herein contained the vertebreaking groove of "A Desperate Resolution," we'd be handing out serious accolades here. 

And that's what's so damn maddening about Stormchaser, and Light This City's career arc as a whole. This shouldn't mark the end of an unremarkable career - this should be the beginning of a brilliant one. We'll never know what type of internal strife led to the band's demise (because the growing amount of hostile scowls being directed at Prosthetic aren't exactly a barometer to judge by), but a killer little spinner like Stormchaser leaves a twinge of sadness nonetheless. The band finally captured their lightning in a bottle, but decided to piss it away. A bittersweet feast, indeed.

Metalsucks.net

Light This City’s blend of traditional thrash, speed and death metal mixed with both NWOBHM and the melodeath of acts such as Dark Tranquility has produced some truly great moments in each of the band’s releases, but the band has never put forth anything that could be construed as classic. In fact, listening to an entire LP can be somewhat of a chore and what’s required of the listener is to wait for that one moment in each song where something really cool happens. More often than not you’ll be rewarded but it translates into all-too-brief passages instead of transcendent blocks of greatness.

Each player in Light This City is impressively proficient. The drumming is able and workmanlike, adapting handily to changes in tempo and blasting through the accelerated riffing, easily keeping pace with the nimble fretwork of guitarists Ryan Hansen and Brian Forbes. Remember these names; whatever project with which they sign on next will be deserving of your attention. The soloing on Stormchaser is absolutely marvelous. Undeniable proof of this comes with the shredding outro on “Beginning With Release,” the third track in this collection and the point where this set truly takes off. It’s followed by the bloodthirsty, go-for-the-throat riffing of “Firehaven,” which features guest vocals by none other than Testament’s Chuck Billy, nearly outmatched by the vicious yell of Nichol. There’s no enhancement of the vocals through effects; there’s no need. I dare say there are few men in metalcore who could go toe to toe with Nichol’s ability to fray the ends of your trembling earbulbs. Her tenacity is remarkable and her stamina is unmatched. That being said, there isn’t much dynamic to her approach and, sadly, it becomes more than a little monotonous after a while.

While there’s plenty of listening pleasure to be gained from arrangements like “The Collector, Part 1: Muse” with its grinding breakdown and the companion piece, “The Collector, Part 2: Donor,” which features a contribution by The Funeral Pyre vocalist John Strachan it takes a number of listens to grow accustomed to this group’s sound and even then you wind up waiting for those individual instances of greatness. In the end it’s a wash. While Nichol and Murray have mentioned continuing on with something less heavy and considerably more “local” to their area I will be watching for the next project that includes the other players. With the amount of experience they have under their belts and the chops displayed on Stormchaser and the other albums, it would be a safe bet to assume their next project will be one worthy of more notice than Light This City ever managed to achieve.

Reviewbusters.org

When Light This City announced they were breaking up a few months ago the metal scene lost a good band. Out of all the new bands that started out at the millennium Light this City was one of the few that were actually good. Is Stormchaser a good way for this band to call it a day? 

With the fourth and final release from Light this City it sounds like Stormchaser is a great way to end the bands six year career. Before the band announced to their fans that they were breaking up they already completed work on Stormchaser. At first it seemed like the album would never make it out. I for one am glad Prosthetic Records decided to release Stormchaser but at the same time I am upset, mainly since the album is really good. 

The album blends together melodic metal with death and thrash elements. All of the tracks are fast and full of energy with enough melodic sounds to make At the Gates and Dark Tranquillty fans take notice. The guitar team of Brian Forbes and Ryan Hansen are always playing intense guitar riffs on this album; their solos really stand out among most other bands that came out around Light This City’s birth as a band. 

Light This City got most of their attention from vocalist Laura Nichol, a female who can out scream most men that sing in this genre. Most people will think that Laura is not really a female, but when you see her they’ll be in love. Her growls are something that are comparable to Arch Enemy’s Angela Gossow. If Light this City was able to stick around a little longer I bet they would have been as big as or bigger than Arch Enemy and it is thanks to Laura’s vocals. 

Final Verdict
If this is indeed the last album from Light This City then I think they are ending on a good note. It is a real shame when a good band like this breaks up from unfortunate reasons. If Light This City decides to come back in a few years that is great, but for now Stormchaser will go down as the bands best album. 

Rating
8.50 out of 10

Billboard.com

There's something decidedly anticlimactic about an album whose creators have already parted ways by the time it arrives on record store shelves, and this turned out to be the case for Light This City's Stormchaser -- their fourth long-player and, as it turned out, also their last. At least the San Francisco melodic deathsters made their swan song count, though, by concocting a very solid new batch of reliably violent, yet surprisingly catchy head-bangers like the evocative title track, the fleet-fingered neo-thrasher, "The Anhedonia Epidemic" (reminiscent of At the Gates), and the particularly memorable "A Desperate Resolution" (boasting even more guitar licks to die for). Light This City also have an amazing knack for sweeping guitar harmonies -- a quality they share with Sweden's Arch Enemy, along with having that all-too-rare female frontwoman (Laura Nichol) capable of roaring as fearsomely as any man -- and they're not afraid to use it, as displayed on additional standouts like "Beginning with Release" and "Sand and Snow." Obviously, much like Light This City's previous albums, Stormchaser's music menu isn't all that unique, per se, and certainly anything but cutting edge, but in a genre often ruled by brawn instead of brains, their focus on writing songs one can generally remember after five minutes is not to be underestimated. And in order to mark their final farewell with a few special treats, the group brought in Testament legend Chuck Billy to trade vocals with Nichol on the pulverizing thrasher "Firehaven," and the Funeral Pyre's John Strachan for "Collector Part 2: Donor." With all this going for it, it's no wonder that Prosthetic Records chose to release, rather than shelve Stormchaser forever, when Light This City decided to call it a career; a career to which it can now provide a very respectable epitaph. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide

Loudside.com

It really is a shame that this band had to throw in the towel. Not just because of the fact that their last album fuckin slayed, but because 'Stormchaser' is fucking head and shoulders above it! This is the album that fans have all been waiting and hoping for and the album that we all knew Light This City was capable of making. And while it is in every way a truly amazing, top notch album, it's also, unfortunately, their swansong.

Stormchaser is the album that would have truly and fully established Light This City's dominance over every other female fronted extreme metal band out there! And yes, that includes everyone's beloved Arch Enemy.

Not since the Swedish melodic death metal explosion has a band managed to combine such massive amounts of melody into their extreme metal arsenal without sacrificing a shred of brutality. 'Facing The Thousand' was full of wicked death-thrash riffing and searing leads, and definitely had huge doses of melody thrown into the mix, but it pales in comparison to this. And while some may have felt that 'Facing The Thousand' would be hard if not near impossible for the band to top, that's exactly what Light This City have done.

From the pristine production and guitar wizardry to the more personal lyrical content, 'Stormchaser' would have been Light This City's defining album. Getting back to Arch Enemy comparisons, 'Stormchaser' is Light This City's own 'Wages of Sin'. And the guest vocal spots from the one and only Chuck Billy (if you dont' know who he is, you're a lost cause), and John Strachan (The Funeral Pyre) only serve to make this disc that much more crushing and intense.

Another praiseworthy element of Light This City is that despite the level of technical proficiency within the band, they're not hung up on trying to gravity blast their way through an entire album while their guitarists burn through a hundred different time shifts. Technicality for the sake of it isn't gonna cut it here. Even with this being their last album, there are (thankfully) no trendy breakdowns to be found and no terrible "Bree" vocal failures, nor are there any unintelligible gurgles, grunts or annoying pig squeals. Laura's signature acidic rasps, with some wicked lows thrown in to suit the song where ever necessary, are all you're going to find on this album. And the band stay true to their epic thrash attack, while incorporating some ass kicking, headbanging rhythms that any metal junkie will acquire a stiff neck from, because this record WILL induce massive amounts of headbanging.

Bottom Line:

'Stormchaser' is the ultimate definition of melodic death metal. While bands like In Flames and even the mighty Soilwork have all but abandoned their death metal roots and even forsaken a large portion of the trashier elements of their sound, Light This City have put together an album that will easily stand up next to the likes of 'Whoracle' or 'Clayman', 'A Predator's Portrait' or 'Natural Born Chaos'. And there's no question that Stormchaser will fit right in alongside 'Slaughter of the Soul' and 'Heartwork' as one of Extreme Metal's most amazing final releases from a band that will not soon be forgotten.

Much like members of the legendary Carcass and At The Gates, the members of Light This City will move on to other musical projects. But if the recent reunions of the aforementioned bands is any indication, we may well see this band return to the stage one day...which will give us the opportunity to see the band belt these songs out live. Until that happens, at least we have one final release....a veritable modern melodic death metal thrashterpiece.

Teethofthedivine.com

I’ve enjoyed watching Light This City evolve from their rough and ready debut The Hero Cycle in 2003 to through their brilliant third album, Facing the Thousand , to what is now their swansong, Stormchaser, a mere five years later. The band has evolved from a mere At The Gates worship to a powerful, polished an professional act on the outer limits of metal stardom on one of metal best labels, in part to the dynamite packages of singer Laura Nichol, but mostly because the band as an entity developed and matured into excellent musicians and song writers.

Now, I’ll admit even with its foreboding horns to start the opening title track, the first few moments of the album hardly impressed me as “Stormchaser” and the intense but relatively forgetful “Fragile Heroes’ hardly signal a band calling it quits at their peek. However, on the third track (”The Anhedonia Epidemic”) and stunning fourth track (”Beginning with Release”), Light This City show why they are so good, as some incredible melody creeps into the razor sharp thrash attack and from there, the album just steamrolls into excellence, and with a closing trio of tracks that makes Stormchaser a more than apt parting gift.

With a typically tight Zach Ohren production and Nichol’s feral rasps, tracks like “Firehaven” (featuring Testament’s Chuck Billy), rip roaring “The Collector. Part 1: Muse”, as well as the aforementioned 2nd and 3rd tracks as well as the somber “Wake Me At Sunset” and stellar closing three tracks (”Bridge To Cross”, “Sand And Snow” and “Self Portrait”) rip and shred with a sense of melody and craftsmanship that only The Black Dahlia Murder seem to have perfected with the same level of consistency and quality on this side of the pond. Oh and those last three tracks? Good lord, so fucking good; from the urgent canter of “Bridge to Cross”, killer opening flourish of “Sand and Snow” and perfectly executed furious end note of “Self Portrait”, Stormchaser ends and album and career on a high note.

I have to wonder how bad things were on the road for the band to suddenly announce thier break up after recording such a great album, but I have to give Light This City credit for going out on such a positive album and on thier terms, and to know when to call it quits. Either way, I wish the members of Light This City the best of luck in their future endeavors and look forward to hearing whatever they involve themselves with in the future

Cerebralmetalhead.com

These days, when every young thrash band wants to be Exodus or Vio-Lence, it's refreshing to hear a San Francisco group like Light This City that doesn't sound like it's from San Francisco. Nope, it's a far more global metallic buffet spread out on the band's fourth (and final) album Stormchaser, with riffs purloined from all pockets of the polkabeat's metallic empire and beyond. The album starts strong, with two slithery waltzes of skintight Lamb of God riffery. At the Gates/In Flames' American offspring own the patent on "The Anhedonia Epidemic" and the riff-rocking chorus to "Beginning With Release;" Testament's Chuck Billy guests on "Firehaven," a pretty kicking Bay Area thrasher. Murray and Smith would be proud of the dual-guitar Nintendo gallop on "Wake Me at Sunset."

Songwriting separates good modern thrash from the un-good, and despite the multitude of directions they point, Light This City's tunes connect more often than not. These fuckers are TIGHT, too. Still, there's something keeping Stormchaser from burrowing into my heart. My guess is that Zach Ohren's mix is too frictionless to carry the energy that this band is capable of. Vocalist Laura Nichol spews spittle-encrusted venom like a female John Tardy, and she deserves thick, juicy cuts of meat to chew on instead of the carpaccio guitars she's got here, especially on the brighter, more melodic numbers. As a result, Stormchaser is a pleasant 50-minute diversion, but doesn't leap out of speakers like it should. Too bad Light This City broke up before they could best it.

FYE.com

There's something decidedly anticlimactic about an album whose creators have already parted ways by the time it arrives on record store shelves, and this turned out to be the case for Light This City's Stormchaser -- their fourth long-player and, as it turned out, also their last. At least the San Francisco melodic deathsters made their swan song count, though, by concocting a very solid new batch of reliably violent, yet surprisingly catchy head-bangers like the evocative title track, the fleet-fingered neo-thrasher, "The Anhedonia Epidemic" (reminiscent of At the Gates), and the particularly memorable "A Desperate Resolution" (boasting even more guitar licks to die for). Light This City also have an amazing knack for sweeping guitar harmonies -- a quality they share with Sweden's Arch Enemy, along with having that all-too-rare female frontwoman (Laura Nichol) capable of roaring as fearsomely as any man -- and they're not afraid to use it, as displayed on additional standouts like "Beginning with Release" and "Sand and Snow." Obviously, much like Light This City's previous albums, Stormchaser's music menu isn't all that unique, per se, and certainly anything but cutting edge, but in a genre often ruled by brawn instead of brains, their focus on writing songs one can generally remember after five minutes is not to be underestimated. And in order to mark their final farewell with a few special treats, the group brought in Testament legend Chuck Billy to trade vocals with Nichol on the pulverizing thrasher "Firehaven," and the Funeral Pyre's John Strachan for "Collector Part 2: Donor." With all this going for it, it's no wonder that Prosthetic Records chose to release, rather than shelve Stormchaser forever, when Light This City decided to call it a career; a career to which it can now provide a very respectable epitaph.

Metalcritic.net

Rating: 4.75/5

This is going to be a short review, because having gotten into a car accident this weekend and being in the most ridiculous social situation ever, I neither have the energy nor the desire to write more than a few paragraphs.

When I heard that Light This City had broken up, I was quite unhappy. As one of the few good metal bands out there with a female screamer, they are a great loss. But when I listened to Stormchaser, I realized that there couldn’t have been a better way to go out. Stormchaser is incredible.

Deftly combining thrash, melodic death metal, and progressive metalcore, Light This City have crafted their best, and last, album. Standouts include the epic title track “Stormchaser”, “Beginning With Release”, “Wake Me At Sunset”, “A Desperate Resolution” and “Bridge To Cross”. But honestly, there isn’t a bad song on the album, and most of them are as original and creative as they are epic and entertaining. One of the only places Stormchaser falls short is the production quality: the guitars often sound thin and weak. The only other possible weakness is a minor degree of repetitiveness from song to song, but that only shows because of how good everything else is. But besides that, there isn’t much to criticize here. Stormchaser is a masterpiece.

I mourn the loss of this great band. But if there was ever a way to go out, Stormchaser is it. A fitting requiem and a powerful legacy for the now departed thrashers. R.I.P. Light This City. You will be missed.

Outburn Magazine

AP Magazine

Stormchaser

There's something else circling overhead now,
a different kind of creature, bigger, out in the distance.
I'm following, watching, and I find myself again
underneath churning winds that draw me in.
Inside, a microcosm forms as emotions imitate the clouds,
twisting themselves into a rope, knotted at my heart
and anchored in the manic horizon.
Let's free ourselves from this stagnant mess for a while.
I've grown so tired of the same damn crises.
Let's leave a trail of debris in our wake,
we'll watch the birth of catastrophes, nightly.
I need to be a part of this wild machine.

I don't care where it takes me, or if I make it out alive.
I'm going to chase it til it breaks me, not giving up until I get inside.

I can feel the electricity being pulled from the sky
into the eye of this storm, and spit back out with a violent force,
terrifying with its indiscriminate reach,
echoing in my bones, thrilling me to my very core.
It cracks open time, and all the pressure in a moment is released.
The sound of it pounds the earth, then throbs through the ground.

I live this life always running to keep up,
with the wind following, driving forward,
or in front of me, pushing back.
Sometimes, I'm moving so fast, as if weightless,
other times, it feels as if my body's being dragged.
I'm racing my hopes along the veins of the country,
it's so hard not to fall behind.

I bury a drop of my blood beneath the soil of each city,
so that I can return and find myself, even if there's nothing else left.


Fragile Heroes

I always wanted to tell you I needed you
but now I'm glad that I never did,
because I never lied about that…at least.
It probably would have scared you, anyway.
One more excuse for you to run away.
And it scares me that you're so easily scared.
What falsity did I lead my heart into this time?
Unfailingly naïve,
maybe I just fell in love with being the dream.

Ugh, more and more, I find I don't want you.
Shit, another lie. Tried to deceive myself; it's not easy,
it's just pathetic.
Well, they say we don't need anyone…at least.
Ugh, you don't know. You never know,
and your uncertainty is infecting me,
because now even I'm not sure—
Do I hate you for not being who I thought you were,
or do I hate myself for loving one I've just created?

Didn't you know?
A hero's a most fragile thing.
One must never get close
enough to touch, or fuck,
for mortality can also be transmitted,
and with even a brush against our blemished human skin,
slick with impious fluids,
their skin becomes dry and cracked,
and holes form inside their perfect characters.
I guess now I can understand being let down
by an ideal…

When heroes turn to cowards, you start to resent your dreams.
You once glanced up into their brave, bright faces;
now you can't even meet their dull, downward-turned eyes.
Plagued with constant failure,
the only thing they will ever succeed in is disappointing
(it's so easy, it's so pathetic).
And so they stop trying, and never give you the chance
that was their promise to you, implied all


The Anhedonia Epidemic

When her body gave into that sickness again
(she always knew it would),
she didn't want to say a thing for fear
that if he knew, he'd never risk
getting even this close to her. Fever
has made her shameless. She's desperate to infect,
and she'd kill to hear him moan with misery,
burning sweet, keeping her suffering company with his,
bowels twisted from that seductive disease.
Some shit spreads with a secret contagion,
and you'll either be fascinated or repulsed
by the velocity of defeat.

Tell me, doctor, are you giving up?
yes, I know it's completely fucked.
Show me a credible witness
to the existence of a functional love…
or even just a functional fuck.
Doctor, are you giving up on me?
Don't you see it's each other we need?
You're the sadist and it seems I just might be

a masochist, neither one of us satisfied
until I'm writhing. And I overheard them say,
"Our guinea pigs are in for it;
we're straining day and night to find the origin
of this mutant strain,
once microscopic, now epidemic,
which crawled its way into her brain."
She didn't ask for it, but she's passing it
to everybody she meets.
And it might not be the most pleasurable thing,
but the sensation can be so addicting.

He won't surrender. His system guards against
the potential agony. But he will never realize that,
consequently, he's missing out on the ecstasy.
He won't surrender. His system protects him against me.

Well, it wasn't caused by amphetamines,
but his dopamine levels are unquestionably depleting,
and my favorite hypochondriac is starting to display
symptoms of hysterical paralysis.
All the doctors can say is, "there's nothing physically amiss."
Isn't it ironic? I'm the sadist,
but now it seems he just might be immune to what I inflict.






Beginning With Release

Second chances only create
even more seconds to wait.
Everyone starts over, turns a new leaf,
but you're so weak, and even the weight
proves much too heavy
for a pest like yourself, especially
when you're already burdened
with a chip on your shoulder
that cuts as deep as her treachery…

And this release, it won't be the end for me.
Our tug of war taught me resilience and a few more things.
I was only armed for battle, you see,
But I didn't lose because I'm not lost.
And you have to be strong to keep holding on,
but it takes strength of mind to know when to release.
Is there release without forgiveness?
If I release, will I still remember?
I was only armed for battle, you see,
But I didn't lose because I'm not lost.
And you have to be strong to keep holding on,
but it takes strength of mind to know when to release.

You've been saving all your pennies
just to flip the coin.
Well, head's up, high roller,
all you're going to see is tails
as you watch me leave.
I never was your Lady Luck,
and I'm done being your second best.
No need to worry about me;
I'll bounce back from this with ease.
What a shame you won't be so lucky
cause you're not going up, and you're not going down…
You'll just waver back and forth, still impossible to please.

You say, we've only just begun.
And I say, our beginning is done.
You never should have left,
No, you never should have come.





Firehaven
Based on Ray Bradbury's short story, "The Long Rain" from the book, The Illustrated Man.

This planet is a single sea
and we have crashed into its solitary island.
The shores roll like boiling sand against the waves.
Rain comes down in constant sheets,
and the only source of hope or relief
is an oasis that mimics the sun.
I must find shelter, for I am in danger…
A few more hours of this, and I will drown where I stand.
Drops of lead drill holes through my skull,
hack away at my flesh, bleach the color from my skin.
They worm cold trails through my hair,
down my neck and spine.
Just praying for my body to go numb.

While some desert prisoners would challenge the sun and pray for rain,
I can't even lift my face to curse the bursting sky.
Millions of pelting, precious jewels are slowly driving me insane.
And I would kill a man just to feel the flames of Hell lick me dry.

Infinite streams tunnel into the soil
from steaming, angry clouds.
Melting away, stinging, crawling, dancing, slashing, choking…
We found him frantic,
slapping at the heavy raindrops sweating down his body
just repeating, over and over,
"Don't know enough to come in outta the rain.
Don't know enough to come in outta the rain."
I thought I saw the sun dome, radiating not far ahead.
My eyes transfixed, I raced for it, slipped and fell
and discovered my mind's trick.
"Lie here. It's only a mirage. Lie here, it's no use.
Drink all you want."

Somewhere in this single sea, maybe they have an Atlantis of their own,
where they take you when they find you, use an entire day to drown and torture
unwanted visitors like me.
I'm forced to hold my breath until I find this place, buried underwater.

Beware the chase; I sought the storm and now I can't escape.
Heaven doesn't look so holy when it's heaving




The Collector, Part I: Muse

Lying here, inside a song, it seems, inside every song I've ever read
written not by a bloodthirsty man, but a shock-hungry trend;
rags of flesh discarded on the ground,

eyes and ears hastily carved from heads while a frustrated surgeon searched for something he feared he'd never find.
The flies have long since settled on their feast,
breeding maggots in the eyesockets of the deceased;
the walls and floor undulate under tiny beasts.

Amidst the chaos and all the unclean a body lay cold, yet cared for,
stitched up, yet pristine.
A bedside jar held entrails waiting to be fit inside her empty shell.
She rested, queenlike, in this fragrant Hell,

her arms smooth and white, sewn to hands missing fingers.
My gaze trembled up her delicate neck,
and I noticed her mouth was opened wide.
Her pale hair flowed down to the floor, brushed and clean,
and next to several organs in glass, floated two large blue eyes.

Footsteps trampled down stairs; he was dragging another lucky bride.
I balled my fists, flexed my legs, and cursed my restraints,
a bad taste left in my mouth from biting through tape.

Trying to build the perfect woman, I see.
How very creative… a love you can customize.
How many donors did you volunteer—now flayed, displayed,
and forgotten in dark corners if not for the stench they emanate?
Am I joining the ranks?
What part of my body will you attach to hers?



The Collector, Part II: Donor

Thick hands released his victim's hair, as she slumped over,
I saw her slender fingers numbered, one to ten.
He sliced each from their knuckles.
Is taking a life as glamorous as your records make it seem?
What happened, a living woman wouldn't cut it for you?
Or, they wouldn't pay you enough attention
so you decided to fuck the girls that couldn't possibly say no?
He leapt from my new companion's side,

clutching his ten dripping prizes,
and slapped me across the face, screaming…
"Bitch, shut your mouth! I won't hear another word!
You think you're any different from them?
Just pray that heart is more gorgeous than the rest, or else your death
will be a waste of time… just like your life."
Damn, it's true.
Why are the ones who actually want the heart
the last ones we'd ever fucking give it to?

Flies scattered and swam around my bloodstreaked face
as he resumed his desperate work. The last finger sewn in place…
Unlikely for a man so drawn to novelty—
and so devoid of originality—to create,
from the blank canvas of his mind, such masterpiece.
Even fanatics occasionally exceed
their idols' genius. Maybe insanity
is just truly seeing beauty.
Still somehow, it may have all been for nothing.

She is beautiful, I'll give you that.
But she'll never be perfect. "She'll never talk back."
She'll never laugh, she'll never be warm.
"I'm used to them cold. I like it like that."
He scooped the insects from her sockets
and positioned her new eyes.
They'll never see you. She's soulless.
She's empty. "So am I.
She's ready for you. Are you ready to die?"

Jaded motherfucker! How many times have I heard that line?
You think I'm the same as the pawns in your game?
You're just a tired cliché,
a character spawned from a teenage brain…
Are you ready to die? Well this is the end.
What inspired you to Slay and Slaughter?
Now you're just selling a fucking trend.


A Desperate Resolution

"Don't get your hopes up,"
said the people I trust.
More easily said than done.
It's been a hard lesson.
There's something wrong
when one becomes
reluctant to fall in love,
when one's own blood
stands, pointing the gun.

My helplessness is a vicious cycle,
causing frustration that debilitates.
One is truly paralyzed when one sees that time
has begun to move too fast and too slow all at once.
And I can't determine whether it happened
gradually or immediately,
but my own weakness is now apparent to me.

Every day, everyone lies
even if they don't realize.
So, go ahead and decide.
Focus your eyes on mine,
tell me everything I'd die
to hear after all this time.
You'll just change your mind.
And guilty conscience drives
you to justify your actions,
then criticize mine.

Fool me twice.
I'm ashamed to find
these hopes have gotten so high.
Always half-expecting your story to change.
Give me your word, then rescind.
Spit my confessions back in my face.
Nothing replaces trust like total control.

My helplessness is a vicious cycle,
causing frustration that debilitates.
One is truly paralyzed when one sees that time
has begun to move too fast and too slow all at once.
And I can't determine whether it happened
gradually or immediately,
but my own weakness is now apparent to me.


Fathers and heroes may make promises they cannot keep.
But for the sake of continuing my life, I will promise myself one thing:
that I send my last hope to apathy,
for it is the only hero that will save me.


Wake Me at Sunset
Based on Ray Bradbury's short story, "The Rocket Man" from the book, The Illustrated Man.

A flash brighter than lightning overhead,
but my town is asleep
so they don't see my father coming home.
I imagine him walking in the middle of this night
all the way back to us.
He likes to look up at the sky as he
steps out onto familiar ground.
Now he's rounding our corner,
now he's walking through the door,
he's walking through the door.

And my mother with her deadened eyes,
she comes alive.

"Don't go," I plead even though I know
I know his strong love for us both
won't keep him from the sky.
I know it tears him up inside to say,
"It's only one more time."
He knows it's just a lie he wants to believe.
"I need the stars flying by me,
the earth afloat, above or below, it doesn't matter where,
just as long as it isn't right here.

I'll be back before you know it and then
I promise you I'll be home for good"

"Let me go with you" I have begged ever since I was a child
I know just what he's going to say:

"I don't want you to end up like me,
aching between the mystery of new planets to be explored
and the comfort of this ancient discovery beneath our feet.
You'll struggle to give up that which you love
and it's not easy.
Son, just please promise me you won't become like me."

I just nod and let go even though I know
I know his strong love for us both
won't keep him from the sky.
I know it tears him up inside to say,
"It's only one more time."


A flash as bright as a rocket ship exploding,
but my town is asleep
so they don't see my father die.
I imagine him falling into the sun
and I look up at the sky.
"If only you would have stayed this time."
Now he's rounding the corner,
now he's walking through the door,
please, just walk through that door.

When I asked him how many ways
one could die in space, he said "a million.
they call them traveling graves.
If they can't find you, then they can't bury you."
Imagine how it feels to envy the stars and
resent the sun…
Morning won't ever be the same.

You never kept your promise, so I'm not keeping mine
Wake me at sunset so I can say goodbye.


Bridge to Cross

Standing over a fault line with a foot planted on either side,
with the only world I ever knew balanced on one shoulder,
and a heart I'm just getting used to beating on the other sleeve.
I stood my ground in a place I knew I might never find peace,
and as my foundation shakes, I'm left to wonder,
did I nurture this expanding divide?

Golden bridges turn the color of flame,
and suicide missions are redeemed when they become fatalities
of natural disasters. My steel core is melting.
Oh, if you only knew about the doubts I allowed
to grow up through the cracks, pushing their way out,
grasping at sunlight.

I can't choose a side, but I can't stay here anymore.
Standing on the edge, a voice begins to whisper.
I've tried to ignore it, but I can't avoid such a groundbreaking
revelation. Standing on the edge of an abyss,
I know where my real home is,
and I'm leaving it behind.
Jump down, and lose it all. I have a feeling I'll fall
anyway.

Standing on the edge of an abyss, because I'm holding onto so much,
I just might lose it all. I know where my real home is.
And I'm leaving it behind.

Sand and Snow

Every city is a ghost town where I see remnants of us
that will never fade because they'll never see the light.
The streets remember our footprints, maps made
in sand and snow, where we walked, side by side,
the things we told each other, piece by piece,
as it comes back now, revisiting.

I stopped searching for our missing ending.
There are no dry winds carrying torn pages
down abandoned roads, fluttering, caught
on telephone poles, waiting to be found
and read aloud. Even if I, alone, returned to
those streets, deceased, I'd be choked by the
ashes of long-combusted paper dreams.

You are being immortalized as I speak,
not just in words, but a reality I live in my sleep.
Last night, I dreamt you followed me.
I can feel you always close, sometimes
a day ahead, or two behind, hunting down
a similar night, different from the next.
I can still hear your voice in air currents
you've since left and I've just found.
I told you to never try and find me,
but how can I ask memories to leave?
They just come and go as they please.

And even if I wrote a thousand songs,
no one will ever know what you've done to me.
They'll hear it echoing, or see the delicate skin shed from a body still evolving,
ghosts of emotions lost and unable to give up,
a carcass of a parasite that left one final scar before cast from its host.

We're not bound by ties, but inescapably intertwined in each other's lives.
Your love was glass cut like a diamond, but I have discovered a truer fortune.
I take pity on your greed; you will never regain wealth lost in me.
And even as I immortalize you with my words, I know you don't deserve this.


Self-Portrait

Now, listen.
Because I've listened to you,
your voice, your words
and the music behind them.
And all of it sinks in
and weighs me down,
finds my heart,
and breaks it down,
breaks it open,
and empties it out,
tries to fill it back up,
but it just spills out
again into

my whole body
is awake.
I have never felt purer pain than this,
you're in complete control of all my senses…
Now you've gotten my attention, singing
You've gotten my attention now, sing it.

I left my heart's final punch
echoing in that of the kickdrum's.
But somehow, my finger finds the button,
and the resulting music kickstarts
that vital pump.
Blood carries the beat
to my ears at the peak
of heightened sensitivity.
And I'm listening to the sound
of a different voice now;

he's pulling love out of
daring melodies,
wrenching me
from the most peaceful sleep.
The pieces come together again
and the blood just rushes back through it, singing
the blood just rushes back through me, sing it.

Don't you understand
this power in your hands?
You have made me understand
everything I am.

Hey dudes,

Our fourth and final album, "Stormchaser" is now in stores everywhere!! We are sure you will love this record, as it is definitely our finest effort which will have you headbanging in no time. Go pick it up!!

LIGHT THIS CITY unveils 'Stormchaser' release date, tracklisting

San Francisco melodic death thrashers LIGHT THIS CITY have confirmed Nov. 11 as the release date for the band's fourth full-length album, entitled 'Stormchaser,' as well as the complete tracklisting for the 12-song effort, which will be released through Prosthetic Records. A new track, "Sand And Snow" has also been posted on the LIGHT THIS CITY MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/lightthiscity).



LIGHT THIS CITY – STORMCHASER
1) Stormchaser
2) Fragile Heroes
3) The Anhedonia Epidemic
4) Beginning With Release
5) Firehaven
6) The Collector. Part 1: Muse
7) The Collector. Part 2: Donor
8) A Desperate Resolution
9) Wake Me At Sunset
10) Bridge To Cross
11) Sand And Snow
12) Self Portrait


"Looking back on the writing and recording of 'Stormchaser,' I have to say it couldn't have been a more amazing experience," drummer Ben Murray says. "Rehearsing every day for two months to write this record was grueling, but rewarding in the end. Working with producer Zack Ohren was awesome as usual, and he definitely got the best performances out of all of us. Having Chuck Billy do vocals was a surreal honor, and having our friend John from the Funeral Pyre contribute his vocals was also an awesome addition. Both tracks, 'Firehaven' (with Chuck) and 'Collector Part 2: Donor' (with John) came out heavy as hell thanks to those guys."

"We also hope you guys dig the artwork by none other than Necrolord [Kristian Wåhlin] himself (At the Gates, Dissection, Emperor)," Murray continues. "This time around, we wanted him to conjure up an epic image of the idea behind the record title, which we think he nailed perfectly! Thanks again to him for hammering that out for us."

Hey Everyone,

I know this is extremely unexpected and disappointing to a lot you out there, but Laura and I have decided to end the band recently because of personal and practical reasons. While this may come as a shock to many, I hope I can shed some light on the reasons behind the decision.

First and foremost, the touring lifestyle and playing on stage every night, as well as making this band our entire lives and our profession had overtime become stale and anxiety-ridden for both of us, and in the end, not enjoyable anymore. We started this band because we loved playing this kind of music and loved the release that we got out of it, and the satisfaction we got from jamming with our friends, and taking it across the country. The fact that it had not been that way for a while was enough reason for us to hang it up and leave the band as 6 years of amazing memories and amazing accomplishments. There are other life goals that both her and I have that we felt would not be reached had we taken the band further, say for another 5 to 10 years, and we didn't want to string our other band members along in something that our hearts weren't in 100%. That's just not who we are, and not how we ever wanted this band to be. Both Laura and I want to get back to the root of why we love playing and writing music, whether it be professionally or not, and not have this burden of feeling alienated from our friends and scene because of what the touring lifestyle does to bands. It is a feeling that we just couldn't handle anymore, and didn't want to deal with on any level, because at the end of the day, music IS our entire lives and we want to keep it that way. We wanted to keep it enjoyable as an amazing catharsis, which it was quickly becoming the opposite. With all of this, on top of the financial and logistical burdens we have come across in touring fulltime, we felt it was the right time to make this announcement. As disappointed as our friends and fans may feel, we hope you understand and respect the reasoning behind this decision, and can understand why we'd make it.

While many are confused at the timing of this decision, with the release of the new album and all, there is more explanation to be done. The new album will definitely be released within the next 4 months, and it is absolutely amazing! The most important thing to us right now is that all the fans we made be able to buy this album and enjoy it as a last ending high note of this band's career, as we are sure you will love this album like we do. We all feel it is definitely the best Light This City record ever, and Brian, Jon and Ryan absolutely made it something spectacular. We will keep everyone updated on the release of the album, and there will be news about it within the coming weeks, as well as some new tracks online. As for as musical futures, everyone in the band is going to stay involved in music, and I am sure you will hear about everyone's plans in the near future.

We want to personally thank everyone that has ever helped this band in furthering our career in any way, whether it be booking us, housing us, feeding us, or just supporting us and coming to the shows. All of our friends we have made know who they are, and know how much their love and support has meant to us. Everyone says this, but really, we couldn't have done what we did without all of that support, and we love every one of you because of it. All of the friends we made and experiences shared have made this totally worthwhile, and we don't regret a single part of it. Thanks to everyone, and we will keep you posted on the new album. –Ben

Hey Everyone,

Laura has been writing tour blogs from the current "In Thrash We Trust" Tour w/ Death Angel, God Forbid and Soilent Green online at www.revolvermag.com! Head over there and check out what she has to say, and make sure to leave comments. Metal Up Your Ass. -LTC

Holy Shit dudes! We are now back home safely in the Bay Area from one of the most intense tours ever! These two weeks with All That Remains and Chimaira across the US were amazing, and by far the biggest shows we have ever played. Thanks so much to all of the bands and people behind the scenes that made this tour such a success. There are tons of new pictures from the tour in the pictures section of our Myspace site. Go check those out and leave some comments!

Now on to what you really want to hear! We have been in the studio in Oakland, CA with engineer Zack Ohren tracking the follow up to "Facing the Thousand", which should see a release date in September. We couldn’t be more excited on how these new songs have turned out, and we are SURE that you guys will love them. We have posted our 1st of 4 Studio Journals on Youtube, so check it out by clicking the link below!Stay tuned for more info on the album as well as more video journals as the recording progresses

Light This City- Studio Journal 1

Lastly, we have added "Like Every Song’s Our Last" onto the player on the myspace page. Go give it some listens and thrash out in your room! We will be playing the song on the next tour, which will be announced shortly, so stay tuned!

Holy Shit!  2007 Was a fucking beast!  Thanks to everyone who came out to our shows, let us crash at their houses, and raised their horns high.  Let's do a little recap, eh?

 

The year started off with a short tour with our buddies in All That Remains, which was absolutely incredible. We couldn't be more stoked to be going out with those dudes again in February. 

 

After that was the video shoot for "The Unwelcome Savior" with Darren Doane which ended up on regular rotation on MTV2's  Headbanger's Ball and on Comcast on Demand.  That was one of our dreams come true, and we can't thank Darren enough for being so rad and the awesome job done on the video!

 

Next was our Southwest "California Love" tour with The Faceless and Antagonist, which was needless to say, tons of fun.  Check out both bands if you haven't already, because they are awesome dudes who shred…hard. 

 

In April we embarked on the "Radicalysm" tour with Horse the Band, The Number 12 Looks Like You, and So Many Dynamos. All great great bands.  So Many Dynamo's new record is going to be huge, so get into them early before they blow up!!  That was one of the most interesting and hilariously awesome tours we have ever been a part of.  All amazing dudes, we thank Horse the Band for taking us out and being such sweet guys.

 

After another run of shows with All That Remains in May, we embarked on our first ever headlining tour, the "Thrash and Burn" Tour alongside Cerberus, The Funeral Pyre, and Antagonist.   That was extremely successful, and we were so pleased with all you metalheads that came and showed your love!  Make sure to check out the above mentioned bands, because they are some of the only genuine "real" metal bands around right now, and they deserve your attention!

 

What came next blew our minds completely.  The "Rocket Ride" Tour w/ Edguy, Into Eternity and Echoes of Eternity. This was our first ever "really really heavy metal" tour, and it was fucking incredible. The crowds every night were insane, and the bands were so good.  Edguy is probably the best band ever, ever. 

 

Almost lastly was the "Death by Decibels" tour alongside Vader, Malevolent Creation, Cattle Decapitation, Abigail Williams and Veil of Maya, which most definitely kicked ass.  Amazing bands, brutal music, brutal shows.  So good. 

 

Lastly was this little 5 day run w/ good friends in Suicide Silence, The Faceless and Oblige entitled the "Santa Slays Tour".  All these shows were amazing and absolutely packed.  The perfect way to end the year.  Thanks to all our California friends for showin' up and hangin' out!  Definitely made us feel awesome, and ended the year in the best way possible.  Raising the horns high in anticipation of 2008!

 

 

What's next for LTC you ask?  We are home for January writing our new record which should be out in September 08'.  Then we leave for a US tour w/ All That Remains and Chimaira.  We are fucking excited.  Plenty more news coming soon. Stay tuned! 

 

 

Thanks to everyone for an amazing 2007.  We'll see you dudes soon.   –Light This City

Hey everyone,

 

Time for an overdue update!   First off, Laura had a few words to say about us dropping off the "Death by Decibels Tour" w/ Vader and Malevolent Creation that some of you have been curious about:

"Hey all! We in Light This City are sorry to anyone who was hoping to see us on the rest of the Death by Decibels dates, and want to thank everyone who came out and rocked with us on the tour. It was a fucking blast! Big thanks also to Veil of Maya, Abigail Williams, Cattle Decapitation, Malevolent Creation, and Vader for being so rad. We miss you! Due to some important personal issues, we agreed that it would be in our best interest to stay on the west coast and build up our energy for all the huge stuff we have planned in the new year, including a week of California shows with our buddies in The Faceless and Suicide Silence, a US tour with All That Remains, Chimaira, and Five Finger Death Punch in February, and the most exciting thing of all; recording our new album in March! Thanks again for your understanding, and we will see all of you very soon."

As Laura mentioned, there are some pretty exciting things coming up in 2008 for Light This City.   First off, before the year ends we are doing a week of California shows w/ Suicide Silence and The Faceless, which should be amazing.  After that we will be home in January and February to write our new album, which we will record in March and April right after our tour w/ All That Remains and Chimaira!   You heard right, our buddies in ATR decided to take us out once again!  We are incredibly stoked on this and hope you can make it out!   We will be playing most of the cities that we missed on the Death by Decibels Tour, so make sure to come hang out and headbang with us once again.

Last but not least, we have a great Christmas present idea for you or you friends!  Our first album "The Hero Cycle" is now almost out of print, with only 50 copies left, and we have signed all of them!  Now online via our myspace site for only $12.00 plus shipping.  Check it out!  After these 50 copies, the album will be unavailable forever.  Do it to it!    -Light This City