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 | The Escape EngineCelebrity Role Model2003 Fidelity 
 Review by: FortyMinutesWest See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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 Published on August 19th 2003 This is really dull. I wouldn’t recommend listening to this album in the car, lest you fall asleep at the wheel and drive into a tree. I swear I’ve heard this band before, and yet this is the first material of theirs that I’ve heard. In short, they sound like every other nu-emo band (yes, I said nu-emo, and there’s nothing you can do about it). Perhaps this record would’ve been better with different vocals. The singing on here so incessantly whiney that I was expecting the songs to stop to allow the singer to take a much needed cry break. I knew this was going to be an adventure from the moment I heard the overly melodramatic intro clip, but unlike those cool “pick your own adventure” books you read when you were a kid, no ending could really satisfy me, they all led to the same place. But wait! What’s this? The band decides to mix things up a bit, and can you guess what they do? If said you said “they probably add some terribly out of place screaming” make yourself a nice bowl of ice cream, with sprinkles. They did add some electronics to the song “Transparent”, and it actually ends up being the most interesting track on the album. Unfortunately, it’s only about a minute long. It is followed by the lackluster “Weapon of Choice” which is sadly lacking in the “Dancing Christopher Walken” department. The guitar playing is above average at times, but that can’t save an otherwise bad album from becoming just another shipwreck in the sea of mediocrity that is this genre. One the things that really bugs me is that whenever they seem to find an good riff, the song slows down and the riff is never heard from again. It’s almost as if they were trying to make this album as plain and uninteresting as possible. The lyrics are typical for this style: “riding on the coattails of agony, and careful not to miss a beat, automated exit of your mistletoe deceit.” I guess they thought people would mistake vagueness for profundity, no such luck, try harder next time.
The press release that accompanied this album predicted that this band is going to be bigger than Taking Back Sunday. Maybe they will be, maybe that’s all this band is after. I’d set my goals a little higher and try to top a good band, but hey, that’s why I’m not in the record business. I’m sure this will sell quite well and this band will develop a loyal following that calls them “the voice of a generation” and hails this as “the best album of the year!” But don’t lose any sleep over that, because they’ll grow out of it. This band is made up of competent musicians who could play good music; unfortunately, they’re satisfied with putting out material like this.
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you ripped this cd soley based on the fact that someone compare them to taking back sunday. you obviously didn't listen to it, which makes me happy because I don't want someone as ignorant and hypocritical as yourself rocking out to good music. I saw them not to long ago,here in georgia,called twin earth.its just a place where local bands get to come and play.They came and i talked with all of them,and they were very down to earth guys.this is one of the best bands i have herd in along time Glad to see that the fans of this band are so intelligent. the kid who wrote this review is a fuck...a faggot fuck! Oh, one more thing. I don't run the site, I'm just a staff writer, so who pays or doesn't pay for an add doesn't matter to me. Even if I did run the site, there's no way a shitty band like The Early November (whose banner ad currently hovers over this comment) or whoever would get a positive review. I don't write my reviews thinking "hmm, I wonder what this person will think of my opinion", I listen to albums and give my honest opinion of them. Im amazed that so many people can't deal with someone disagreeing with them. If you don't like it, write your own review. So wait, I should review an album based how someone else would feel instead of how I MYSELF feel about it? it has come to my realization that kids running these sites are 12 years old. Sorry they are better than brand new or taking back thursday. Just because they dont spend the big bucks on your site doenst mean you should bash them. Learn to review cds that maybe you would never even listen to. Think about the kids that would. You are writing about this band to metal kids. Grow up and think before you write a piece of garbage like that. I reviewed this because it was sent to me. I love how you fanboys get your panties in a bunch just because someone happens to disagree with you. really, I did not know he had the cd. He should stick to writing his hatebreed reviews and then kissing ass to bands like sworn enemy. Do not review something you are not into. I am sure there is 29479283 other people. Saw these guys live last night. Fucking intense. Honestly. Gotta say I like the CD. Opinions are just that, opinions. He has the cd. he has nothing to back up what he says! Let the guy have a fucking opinion. Shit. Yes bands can wear their influences on their sleeves and still be good. By, you know, taking said influences, and adding something new to the mix. By having sincerity. In his opinion this band did not do that. Get over his opinion and write your own, that's what this little comments section is for. You like this band? Great. Forty didn't. Get over it. sorry but this is a solid album. "Just because alot of bands are doing something doesn't mean one of them can't do it extremely well." -FortyMinutesWest review of Unearth You seem to be confused. Influences are one thing. Ripping off a succesful formula for a paycheck isnt. Have fun in that "new musicla world" of yours while all of the bands back here in the real world exploit your wallet. I can only take so much of the scremaing about girls songs. Seriously. Are you trying to be smart, or are you just ignorant to the fact that trends do exist, and some people are actually stupid enough to follow them? Everyone on this post dresses a certain way because they saw something on someone else that they liked. That's a fact. Maybe this band sounds like another band. That could be very true. But you know what, that is what music is. Using influences of what you love to create something of your own. Every band does it, even the bands that you say these guys sound like. Thursday was compared to sounding like Boy Sets Fire when they first started out. Does that mean they suck, because they sound like another band. No, it just means that they are in that genre, and Boy Sets Fire is an influence to them. Everyone wants to be cool, and bash bands for sounding like other bands. If you are someone like me who doesn't even think like that, and listens to a song, "as a song", a whole new world will open up to you. Then maybe you'll use music to secure an emotion inside of you, rather then using it to make yourself look cool. I never hear of the escape engine, but I like them already. I just hope their music rocks more then rocks taking up all the space inside your heads. ....? Im sorry, I was unaware that hatebreed was considered music. I always considered them to be shit. Go listen to the new hatebreed cd kid. I have this problem...everytime I hear a new "screaming emo" band I instantly compare them to Thursday, because they were the first band of that type I ever really heard. They are sort of my benchmark for this genre. In retrospect...your right...they dont sound alike. But they still blow. And there are FAR more good bands that are unpopular then there are good bands that are popular...LIKE Thursday? God that guys arguement sounded pretty good till he said they sound like Thursday. Unless you mean the fact that both bands have guitars and drums? where do you even hear thursday? Please! Is it because both bands happen to be from jersey? They do not sound a like. we played two shows with them, and, if i may say so, their live show does live up to the album, in fact, it blows the album away. accept* rather then except. You wanna know what? Forty is absolutely right. And he usually is, so maybe you fuckers should except just how generic this band is. Its like listening to Thursday with all the good parts taken away. Oh wait thats Anatomy of a ghost....haha, even this bands stolen sound is stolen. Anyway, your statemtents of "if its popular its good" must mean your a big Backstreet Boys and Limp Bizkit fan. I hear they are pretty big. Fucking fan boys. If you dont have any thing constructive to say dont say anything at all. Another reviewer compared them to BSF and By A Thread, I don't hear it, but maybe it's just me. In any event, Boy Sets Fire(atleast their older material) is much more interesting and diverse than this band. They also come off as sincere instead of contrived. Weird thing to me is I think they sound like Boy Sets Fire a lot. And you reviewed them pretty well. In any event to each his own. Popularuity and sales do not equal a good record. Why should I "admit" anything when I don't actually feel that way? So then admit the cd hits and it sounds good. Could you do better? Shit is hot. Plenty of bad bands have a large following, this band has "the sound" that is popular right now, so they'll do well. "I’m sure this will sell quite well and this band will develop a loyal following that calls them “the voice of a generation” and hails this as “the best album of the year!”" Hey, I like a wide range of music, I just don't think this is anything interesting or new. I think I was very fair, I listened to this three or four times and I didn't even read the press release until I was ready to write the review. Like I said in the review, this band does have potential, but they need to color outside to reach it. Except the singer, I have nothing good to say about that. It's really easy to come on a website and try to downplay someone's opinion just because it differs from your own. If you read the reviewer's other reviews you'll see that he likes his music a little harder. If there were a few Dillenger Escape Plan riffs on the album he would have hailed it as "The CD that will save Emo". However it's not his fault, he was handed the CD and he reviewed it. Bands sending in CDs to sites such as this roll the dice. It very easily could have been reviewed by someone else here and they might have loved it. Maybe the next album will. I guess them dressing in black is SOOOOO much worse than all those die hard punk rockers who look absolutley NOTHING alike. I mean, why can't The Escape Engine go and buy thier authentic punk rock gear at a cooprate overpriced store like Hot Topic? I mean, in emo thier is such a uniform look, but in other genres of music everyone looks sooo different from one another. Nu metal kids are so orignal..people that like R&B? Im sure you can be looked at, and I could pin what music you are into, so give them a fucking break for having black hair. Which they all don't by the way. The picture you looked at, was I dont know, BLACK AND WHITE! Get your facts straight before you make some ridiculous false claim and observation. And yeah, I totally can respect the reviewers opinion, as I am in the industry myself, but come on..actually make it relevant to the CD, instead of venting on the entire genre itself. It sounds like you read the press release, put on 2 songs, and were so quick to label it "emo."...your review really didn't come off as someone who actually listened to the CD from an objective persective. I am fine with people not liking the CD, but at least have the vocabulary and intelligence and be informed enough (aka actually listeningn to the CD) to explain why, This review comes off as a kid who didnt want to do thier homework, and just read the Cliff Notes. One more thing:I've been called a lot of things, but an emo scenester? That's definitely a new one. Oh well, you guys disagree with me, I can live with that. Can you? I don't think he listened to every song. This is definately not a review of the album, it's him venting on the genre. Then again maybe he just had a shitty day. In any event I liked it better than most of the albums I bought this year. Oh and I saw them live on Warped Tour and they had , black hair, red hair, and brown hair. So much for your "looking the part theory" Well I guess this is the type of review someone gets when someone has a grudge againt the band fact this is one of the best record I have heard that is emo and is I think diffrent then what a lot of bands do. TEE are one of my favorite bands and once these guys sign to a Vagrant or Victory they will rise to the top. to everyone that is bitching about him reviewing a record from a genre that he doesn't like, has it ever occured to you that he might get sent these albums to review? i really doubt the kid goes out and buys random albums of "the next big thing" or what have you just for shits and giggles, and to write a review about how generic they are. "In short, they sound like every other nu-emo band (yes, I said nu-emo, and there’s nothing you can do about it)." first of all... i am aware that i dont have an account here... and it is posting under anonymous and that's not something i like... especially when speaking my mind... so to fix that, my name is casey neal carter and my e-mail address is caseycarter05@hotmail.com... now that that's out of the way, let me get on with my bitching. I totally agree. When you don't like a genre, you really shouldn't review a record in that genre. My friend bought this record at warped tour after seeing this band. She told me they were "sick" and I had to not only listen to it, but I had to see it. At first I was like, ok, pretty cliche intro to a record, and I was already disappointed. When track two kicked in, I was in shock, and right away I understood what all the hype was about. Let me tell you something. This band fucking rocks. They better come to philly soon, and there show better live up to this record. Why do people review these albums that do not even like this type of music. Pass the album on. The album is solid and is in my top 5. It's P. Diddy, step off dawg. whoever reviewed this cd must be fucking deaf, or constantly listen to puff daddy. harsh Ditto on the review. I'm in the process of reviewing it (for another site)and this morning on the way to work I was tempted to pull it out the cd player and hurl it out the window. Great drums and guitar, horrible vocals. I still have hope for them, though. yeah i saw these guys at warped and they were so good i had been listening to their songs on mp3.com and i loved them so i bought the CD yeah this CD is so good and I really wish the review was not so harsh because i love this CD and I definitely see these guys getting big and I saw them at two warped tour dates so when this band get so big that you cant get really close to them I can say that I was close at the beginning yah, i didnt think this cd was that bad at all. it has a couple good tracks on it i saw them at warped and thought they were pretty good. |
