Modern Day Escape - New Life
Driven by strong vocals, huge guitars and big hooks comes New Life, the new album from Florida born five-piece Modern Day Escape
20 Years is the album's slow rock opener. The music isn't as upbeat as you may expect from an opener, but the subtle side demonstrates the bands qualities in much more depth and makes for a pretty strong song. The guitar riffs along with the strings and piano elements really stand out. The vocals are slightly gruff, have an edge to them but no too much that it becomes a hardcore screech.
Bound By Blood is where things begin to heat up and the punch kicks in. There are certainly tougher guitars pulsating throughout (the concluding 30 seconds is well played) and some harder drumming and the occasional vocal scream towards the end of the choruses. Control is structured in a similar way to its predecessor, but takes things to the next level, building on those strong elements a tad more. DRUGS has a little more melody at times and then suddenly explodes with screams and urgency with a more aggressive ending. Gets Me Higher gets you hooked from the first listen and most of this is due to the opening guitar melody and the solo two minutes in.
Saying Goodbye turns things down a notch and is slightly slower once again while Scared as Hell isn't as loud and electric as previous tracks but also isn't mellow. It sits perfectly well midway as an upbeat catchy beat driven song that is probably a firm album favourite. Although the album opens with a slower tune, it concludes with the eruption of This Ain't Love, one final demonstration that incorporates all the toughness you need to go out with a bang!
New Life isn't particularly innovative but does establish Modern Day Escape a credible rock outfit.