Band : Escape The Fate
Album title :This War Is Ours
Label : Epitaph
Distributor : Epitaph – Concrete Web Promotion Office
Release date : 20/10/2008
Release : CD

From Las Vegas, Nevada, comes a whirlwind now known all over the US as Escape The Fate! Formed in 2005 (at that time still with keyboardist/ backing singer Carson Allen, who'd leave that same year; currently fronts Seattle based act On The Last Day), the band's climb to stardom was sparkled by having some of their songs played on local radio, which made the band a devoted fanbase. In October '05 the band won a local radio contest judged by My Chemical Romance, awarding ETF with the opportunity to open for their then headlining tour with Alkaline Trio and Reggie And The Full Effect.

No need to stress on the fact that this immediately gave the unsigned band a high profile attention, and the guys duely signed to Epitaph, making their debut with the May 2006 EP There's No Sympathy For The Dead, which was followed by a ride on that Summer's Vans Warped Tour. The band then dropped off a planned tour with Bullet For My Valentine and Eighteen Visions due to personal problems, mostly due to the fact that the band's singer, Ronnie Radke, had already had problems with The Law in narcotics related issues, and then enticed a friend of his into a fight which would cost the live of an 18 year-old in May 2006. In fact, he was kicked out of the band for a while because of that incident. Bassist Max Green, whom was also addicted to "illegal substances", may have been scared enough out of his wits because of what happened, because he has since kicked his "bad habits". That same September saw the release of the band's debut full-length Dying Is The Latest Fashion. But problems because of Radke continued, as the singer was first prohibited from leaving the US and eventually also Nevada, and more directly his drug dependancy would prevent the band from going on a couple of tours. Second guitarist Omar Espinosa eventually left the band mid-tour, stating on his MySpace blog that he'd left on good terms still being friends with the rest of the band, and would continue to support the band, as he felt they are a truly great act!

The combination of increasing problems with Radke because of the May 2006 incident caused the band to cease all activity shortly after. He was officially kicked out of the band in early 2008, the other members coming to that decision just for the sake of keeping the band going. The remaining trio of guitarist Bryan "Monte" Money, drummer Robert Ortiz, and Green have since been on the look-out for a new singer. And there, in Phoenix, Arizona (the bands only live some 730 kms from each other, which is relatively close at hand in US terminology of distances), is Blessedthefall's frontman Craig Mabbitt, whom the guys already befriended on the 2006 Vans Warped Tour and a subsequent joint tour of the bands. Actually, Mabbitt was gonna join A Skylit Drive, and that band had given him a number to phone to obtain the band's newest recordings so he could write to it. Only, he'd apparently written down the wrong number, so in stead he called the guys from ETF. Mabbitt simply took a plane over to Phoenix to talk over his possible joining of the band. Things clicked, and after a while of working on new material the foursome hit the studio with renowned producer John Feldman (see also Atreyu, Good Charlotte, The Used, to name but a few), and the result is an 11-track album of definite grandeur in the heavy Alternative Rock genre. Although only a 4-piece at the moment, the songs were apparently written for two guitarists, and that worries me a little, for a second guitarist seems to be warranted if the guys wanna reproduce their studio sound in live conditions. Especially since at moments where the guitars chant in an almost symphonic way, there's occasional string (or string-sound generating keyboard) additions. Mabbitt has done a true effort to broaden his vocal range, stepping off somewhat from the Screamo style he used with his former band, and now actually singing more! Sure, there's still the occasional rough (or screamed) bit (check the single "The Flood", and also "You Are So Beautiful", "This War Is Ours (Guillotine II)", and "10 Miles Wide"),but really that type of vocals is now less important. Thanks to the many vocal backings, the whole has an almost bombastic feel, but in a positive way! With "Harder Than You Know", the band brings a very nice semi-ballad (repeated for the European bonus as a real ballad in acoustic version). Another surprise comes when wacky sounding horns (you know, slightly muffled to get those odd sounds out of 'em) and a short bit of (female) choir are used in album closer "It's Just Me" (with ends in carnival noises).

Get a whiff of the new and envigorated band at myspace.com/escapethefate, where the guys posted "The Flood" (a video for it should soon be posted as well, at the moment you can watch a "Making Of" video already) and "This War Is Ours (Guillotine)" (which was made available for free download on Xbox Live on Oct.2) alongside 4 songs with the older singer. The difference, ladies and gentlemen, is significant, and definitely lifts the band to a higher level! If the material available through Internet doesn't convince you, you may need to ask your local record store keeper for a listening session of the rest of the album. I'm sure that'll convince you! Personally, I like a lot...a whole lot...but not enough to make This War Is Ours become part of my year-lists! Nah, to get there, I would need to give this album a few more spins in the CD-player...as it IS an album that WILL grow on you with each listeninh session, you know...but what with me still having to review at least 20 more albums this month alone, I don't see me being able to do that! Pity...

92/100

Tony.