I distinctly remember one extremely boring 9th grade global studies class in which I filled three or four pages of notebook space with an alphabetical listing of every single band or artist that I could possibly think of. Some letters had substantially more entrants than the others, but no one group was as long as the amount of bands that start with ‘the.’ If you make the decision to be a ‘the’ band in this day and age, you had better have some originality and inventiveness to your credit, and unfortunately, the Escaped have vitually none to speak of.

Their blend of hardcore punk has been done over so many times, that every feature of this album is easily interchangeable with countless other bands putting the same type of music out there. I’m not asking the band to do anything crazy; they don’t need to throw in any jazz interludes, or include harmonicas in eight different keys, but they just need that certain something to lift their shoulders above the crowd.

That all said, the music on this self-titled EP is actually pretty damn good. True, they didn’t pick a style full of flare and musical variation, but what they did do is craft their talents and energies into a furious effort worthy of at least some attention. The inherent simplicity could very well draw more people to it than it would push away, as the tandem vocal attack is as strong as it is infectious. Commanding vocals and shout-alongs aplenty, the band does a good job of drawing you in. And musically limited as they might be, the guitars are full of grit and spirit to go around. I just get the overwhelming feeling this band would serve their audience better in a live setting.

I also feel that it’s my duty as a reviewer to inform you that the liner notes contain a large man giving an inverted shocker, and another man in a large shark costume sporting Don Johnson sunglasses.

These guys aren’t the Bill Gates of the hardcore punk world, and they may end up being smudged between the Epoxies and the Exploited in the world of the ‘the’ bands, but try not to let them slip completely under your radar. A decent EP, if not garnered a spot in your extended rotation, it makes for a few decent spins.