ALBUM REVIEW ~ ESCAPE THE FATE ~ 'CHEMICAL WARFARE'

I'm Music Magazine, Escape The Fate, Chemical Warfare, Invincible, Lindsey Sterling, Lightning Strikes,

Las Vegas’ own Escape The Fate are back with the follow up to their 2018 full length album, I Am Human. The band’s new album, Chemical Warfare sees a change in the band’s sound that has been years in the making. Known for their unique blend of metalcore, screamo, and catchy rock/pop ballads, Chemical Warfare sees the band taking more risks than ever before. Longtime fans of the band are sure to be in for some surprises.

The opening track, “Lightning Strike” starts out with a gritty, rock n’ roll, guitar riff that quickly ascends into a pop layered chorus straight out of the pages of Panic at the Disco. The crunchy guitar riffs that the band are associated with seem to take a backseat to the danceable beats and clean production on this track. Not to worry however, the band has not forgotten how to shred. We are treated to a nice guitar solo straight out of 1989.

The next track, “Invincible,” sees the keyboards take center stage, a trick that is nothing new for Escape The Fate. The uplifting lyrics along with the beautiful addition of Lindsey Stirling’s violin make this a standout on the album. The guys even managed to sneak in a heavy breakdown in the final minute of the song before closing it out with the somber sounds of Lindsey’s violin. This vibe continues with the next track. “Unbreakable” is another poppy dance anthem equipped with dance beats and auto-tuned vocals. It’s not hard to imagine this track being played on alternative radio next to the likes of AJR and Bastille.

The title track, “Chemical Warfare” sees the band doing what they do best. This track is a more true to form rock ballad that sees the band wearing their emotions on their sleeves. It’s this magic that has allowed the band to amass such a following over the last decade. This track is a nice change of pace before the band move back into a more pop oriented direction with the song “Erase You.”

In what is likely the most well composed and catchy song on the album, the band decided to collaborate with Travis Barker which, let’s be honest, is always a great idea. The song “Not My Problem” sees the band doing everything that they do best. The lyrics tug at the users heart strings as the music slowly builds up to a boiling point. It all culminates with one of the most perfectly constructed breakdowns in the band’s career. The electronic elements really add the perfect layer of depth without watering down the overall heaviness of the song.

“Burn the Bridges” is yet another example of how the band hasn’t left any tool in their toolbox unutilized without compromising what they’re known for. This song is heavy in both tone and message, but the clean production and layers of atmospheric sounds make it more accessible to the casual listener. Additionally, the song incorporates rapped vocals in addition to the screaming and clean singing that we’ve come to expect from Escape The Fate.

While not every track on the album can be standout, the guys definitely picked one hell of a closer for Chemical Warfare. A true ballad in every sense of the word, “Walk On” is true to resonate with old and new fans alike. The song is everything that the world needs hear following a very trying couple of years. It’s the perfect way to end an album that sees a band learning to focus on their more positive side and embracing all of the parts of them that bring joy to the fans. It’s also worthy of pointing out that the song boasts a killer guitar solo and what may be the best chorus in the band’s catalog.

In summary, longtime fans of Escape The Fate are sure to have mixed reactions to the band’s seventh album. This is because the album sees a band that is maturing and finding new ways to fulfill their musical needs. While some of the heavier elements that the band has been known for aren’t quite as prevalent, there is nothing on this album that the band hasn’t already prepared us for with the previous six efforts. Is this a case of a band that evolved too much, too quickly? Ultimately, that is for the fans to decide. However, Chemical Warfare is a tremendous effort from a band that has always been known for being versatile and transcending genres. We’d all be doing ourselves a great disservice if we didn’t give this one a listen or two before rushing to judgement.

I’m Music Magazine Writer Jason Jarvis