Metalcore, emo, screamo, post-punk, post-hardcore - the list of metal's sub-genres continues to grow, accompanied by an ever-increasing number of mediocre...

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Metalcore, emo, screamo, post-punk, post-hardcore - the list of metal's sub-genres continues to grow, accompanied by an ever-increasing number of mediocre bands, so it's refreshing to find one worth listening to.

Las Vegas band Escape the Fate take the best of it all to create an exciting, pleasantly familiar yet "post-everything" mix with an earnestness that sets them apart from the standard whining of the screamo crowd.

The opening three tracks are frenetic yet accessible, dominated by post-punk elements and a vocal reminiscent of Australia's own Bodyjar. Things get darker on The Guillotine, a blend of intense metal blast beats, a vocal that moves between post-punk singing and deep hardcore growls, a brief, anthemic guitar lead and a grinding, death-metal outro. It's schizophrenic, sinister and unsettling - and totally thrilling.

Reverse This Curse invokes the ghost of Blink 182, while There's No Sympathy for the Dead is more hardcore with flamboyant metal-guitar solos. Although it gets a bit tedious towards the end, ETF's emphasis on songs over fashion transcends what some derisively label "scene-core".

The PR people could be right when they say that Escape the Fate just might be your new favourite band.

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Sound: Escape the Fate displays outstanding musical skill and a all 'round great hardcore punk sound. After learning to scream from fellow hardcore punk...

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Sound: Escape the Fate displays outstanding musical skill and a all 'round great hardcore punk sound. After learning to scream from fellow hardcore punk rockers Underoath, they have the perfect combination of emo vocals and different pitched screams. From the first song to the last it keeps you pumped up and never seems to get dull. As a new band from Las Vegas, they made a huge mark on the emo-rock society with their first EP, There's No Sympathy For The Dead. Their debut album is definetly a must buy for punk rock, metal, or emo-core fans. // 9

Lyrics: The lyrics are nothing short of amazing. They combine real life situations with a little bit of exageration. With phrases like "Crash my car through your window" and "I love the girls who hate to love, because they're just like me". They capture the attention of emo fans, metal fans, and pretty much all rock fans. Ronnie (vocalist) has outstanding skill and nails every note. And his screaming (along with the rest of the band members screaming) allows even the metal fans to mosh. // 10

Impression: In our opinion this album is a masterpiece, especially for such young (and talented) musicians. They definetly out shine artists like Underoath, A Static Lullaby. The songs that stand out are definetly "There's No Sympathy For The Dead", "Situaions", "Not Good Enough For The Truth In Cliche". Actually, to be honest, they are all amazing. We love the all around sound and production of this album and there is nothing to dislike. If we ever lost this album, we would definetly cry, buy it again, and then cry in happiness. // 10

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