Review Summary: Modern Day Escape underwent a major improvement
On their first album, House of Rats, post-hardcore/metalcore band Modern Day Escape showed plenty of potential, but not enough substance. While Rats wasn’t beyond repair, it had more flaws than memorable moments, and came off as generic, contrived, and boring. For Under the Gun, Escape improved heavily. They silenced the generic deathcore tendencies, James Vegas became a much more talented singer, and the group capitalized on their catchy, melodic edge for a strong and heavily improved post-hardcore album.
As a package, Under the Gun is a superior record next to House of Rats. For the most part, the band has dealt away with the pointless deathcore influences, and attempts a-shock value horror movie inspired lyrics. Also gone are the slight melodic metalcore tendencies, and you won’t find Killswitch Engage-inspired mini-solos or choruses. Vocalist James Vegas has also heavily improved: he isn’t hiding behind an accent anymore, nor is he randomly diving into high-pitched yelps. He focuses much more on low screams and growls, and though it could be considered less unique, it’s also much less annoying. The guitarists have also improved: though neither play anything groundbreaking, they veer into enjoyable at times, instead of sticking to safe riffs and boring chugging. Drummer and bassist aren’t that big of a deal, but if you’re a fan of the genre that honestly shouldn’t come as a shocker or stumbling block.
For standouts, look first to the softer side of MDE. Third track “Life’s a B-“blends pop/punk melodies with heavier instrumentation, including some strong clean vocals, and painfully starry eyed but inspirational lyrics. It’s one of the strongest tracks in the band’s discography, and should definitely be held as a fan favorite. The title track is also significant, with a strong blend of screaming and singing, and some considerable riffs/mini-solos. Opener “City of Thieves” carries a strong opener and chorus, while “Don’t Hold It Against Me” has some considerably enjoyable riffing throughout. These tracks are much stronger than anything off House of Rats.
Lyrically, while it isn’t as horrendous as songs like “Maybe Holding Hands Wasn’t Such A Good Idea”, it’s not really a whole lot improved. “City of Thieves” has some clever lyrics about living in a dog-eat-dog world, but “Don’t Hold It Against Me” veers back into teenage relationship drama. Rather than staying the same or getting worse for the sophomore outing, Modern Day Escape underwent a major improvement, going from average to enjoyable. Consider picking up Under The Gun.
