Last Giant

LAST GIANT PORTLAND, OR-BASED ROCK OUTFIT LAST GIANT RELEASE CAREER-DEFINING THIRD ALBUM, LET THE END BEGIN, CALLING UPON INFLUENCES FROM LED ZEPPELIN TO JOHN COLTRANE, CURTIS MAYFIELD TO THIN LIZZY Blood, sweat, and tears used to mean something, more than just clichéd words. They represented the core attributes of what makes rock special. Enter Portland, Oregon-based rock band Last Giant. On their third full-length, Let the End Begin, the duo delivers a high-energy rock n’ roll experience, complete with heavy grooves, loud guitars, big drums, thought-provoking lyrics, and arena-sized melody. Comprised of RFK Heise (System & Station) on vocals/guitar and Matt Wiles on drums, the two deliver a 70s rock sound with progressive embellishments along the way, obliterating the pretty confines of everyday rock, preferring to not treat rock as a sedentary form. Let the End Begin finds the band bolder, evolving from their 2015 debut Heavy Habitat (a record in which Heise played every instrument) and 2017’s Memory of the World. Fans and journalists that have been following Heise and Last Giant may call this a career-defining album for the duo. Whereas Heavy Habitat was “a serious party record. A hard-hitting party record,” as Heise puts it, Memory of the World found Heise’s lyrics influenced by the current political climate, including the song “Saint Paul,” which referred directly to the murder of an innocent Philando Castile at the hands of a St. Paul police officer (who was later fully acquitted on all charges). It could be said then that Memory of the World bridged the gap between Last Giant’s 70s heavy metal party vibe and Heise’s political statements, with Let the End Begin diving more into the political arena, again influenced by the current political climate and social unrest our country is facing. Written and recorded in isolation, RFK Heise and Matt Wiles spent months honing and capturing the essence of now as seen through their eyes. Lyrically the album touches on politics, sex, isolation, love, and loss, all a reflection of the times we collectively find ourselves in. Songs like "Sunset Queen,” “Idiology,” and "Burn the Wall" deliver the high-energy blues-infused psychedelia they have brought to previous albums while "Letter to Lennon,” “Edge of Town,” “Radio Swell,” and "Followers" all bring the goosebump factor, like hearing future classic rock. There is a reason this band is called Last Giant. Riffs for days, wrapped in hooks, melody, and the unsurmountable back beats of drummer Matt Wiles. RFK Heise has cited influences including Led Zeppelin to John Coltrane, Curtis Mayfield to Thin Lizzy, and Stooges to BeeGees. Let the End Being is more textured and uncompromisingly bold then the previous two albums, a true landmark for the band that has proven evolution and sincerity can, and do, work in your favor. Let the End Begin is muscular, direct, relevant, and incredibly satisfying.