Review Summary: It’s nothing you haven’t heard before.
If a blend of Killswitch Engage and A Day to Remember doesn’t sound like your choice, skip this band. If you are looking for a piece of post-hardcore/melodic metalcore genius, skip this band. If you are expecting to be amazed, skip this band. However, if you just want to be entertained by a decent blend of these two genres, with some electronic and deathcore influences, Modern Day Escape is the band for you. Though there are plenty of things wrong with them, they do enough right to almost be enjoyable.
The band has qualities of both genres, and executes them throughout the record. There's boyish clean vocals, guttural screams, crunchy riffs, considerable-but-clichéd mini-solos. There’s plenty of melodic choruses and heavy breakdowns, and the typical slight programming/dubstep parts. Vocalist James Vegas generally stays in the low range for screams and growls, occasionally shifting into a higher-pitched yelp. His cleans are the typical high-pitched vocal. The cleans can get annoying after a while, and the harsh vocals are definitely better than the cleans. Both guitarists just play typically Though they are talented, they don’t veer far from crunchy breakdowns and KSE-ripped off leads. The bassist is inaudible, and the drummer just plays what he’s expected to play. There’s some potential, granted, but it’s buried under contrived material.
Both the intro track and the first real song, titled “The Cancer” and “Creature Among Us”, are strong. “The Cancer” sets the album’s eerie tone, with some strange sounds and possibly a man being attacked, while “Creature Among Us” is the strongest track all record. It has the perfect blend of screams and cleans, and there’s actually a considerable breakdown. Both “Maybe Holding Hands Wasn’t Such a Good Idea” and “Corpse Masquerade” have enjoyable guitar solos. “Fit for a King” is a melodic ballad that only works due to the strings and the fact that it actually differs from the same formula used all record. “Let’s Get Sweaty” is fun due to its fast, palm-muted riffing and usage of the double bass.
There is talent in Modern Day Escape. The vocalist carries most of it, though moreso in screams than clean vocals. Tracks like “Creature Among Us”, “Fit for a King”, and “Let’s Get Sweaty” are enjoyable listens overall, but lack substance. This album has easily been done before, and done much better. Because of this, after track three, and disregarding “Fit for a Queen”, the entire album starts to sound the exact same.
Lyrically, Modern Day Escape go from decent to extremely embarrassing. While “Let’s Get Sweaty” and “Creature Among Us” have horror-movie inspired lyrics that are slightly clever, “Maybe Holding Hands Wasn’t Such a Good Idea” sounds like it came from a hormonal fifteen-year old boy. With lyrics describing a couple going a little too far in their physical relationship, you start to wonder when Hinder will show up. Lyrics definitely are not a strong suit for Escape.
If they’d just tried a little harder, and improved lyrically, the band could’ve crafted an enjoyable release that stands out a little more than it does. However, they settled for mediocrity, and released an overdone and slightly boring album that’s a fun listen the first time, but lacks substance for repeated listens. If you’re just on ITunes and want a post-hardcore record, then consider this. If not, skip this out, because it’s nothing you haven’t heard before.
