Review by Shannon Shumaker
The Escape make great use of all six songs on their new EP, The Mark We Leave Behind. Sometimes, it can be hard to form an opinion on a band, let alone understand who they are and what they stand for without an entire full length, but that is not the case with The Mark We Leave Behind, which perfectly showcases many different sides of The Escape while making it clear what makes them tick.
Kicking off with an anthem of a first track, The Mark We Leave Behind introduces you to the theme of the EP, the chorus of “Soon Forgotten” posing the question: “When it’s over, what is the mark we leave behind?” As soon as the vocals in “Soon Forgotten” kick in, I’m reminded of Alkaline Trio, but then the big chorus comes in and their sound reminds me of Rise Against – and I make these comparisons in the best way possible. It definitely doesn’t sound like The Escape is trying to be or sound like any other bands, but the similarities are definitely worth noting. And then, right after the high energy first track, the EP progresses into more of a ballad in the form of “What Happened To Us,” which slows things down a bit. “What Happened To Us” is emotional and melodic and immediately shows us another side of The Escape, and then, just when you think you have them figured out, the following track, “Underwater” kicks off with a strong bass line and insane guitar hook that picks the energy right back up, if not increasing it even more from “Soon Forgotten.”
“Two Steps Forward” is also worth noting because it shows a tremendous amount of vocal ability from vocalist Stephen Angello. On top of the incredible vocal work, “Two Steps Forward” also hosts some very strong bass work and an incredibly catchy and memorable chorus. The lyrics are also some of the strongest on the album, with a very positive message of, “Give it all you got/You only get one life to live.”
It’s hard not to fall in love with the rich and crisp vocals in the first track on The Mark We Leave Behind, and the remaining five songs on this EP only back up the high expectations set from the beginning. There is a distinct sound and positive message that The Escape have found with this release, but it isn’t something that gets repetitive by any means. Each song on the EP is unique in its own way, from slower ballads to more aggressive tracks such as “Living In a Dream,” to “Waiting,” the final anthem. This is perfect for a six song EP that shows some great versatility from The Escape while establishing a very strong and clear message.
Rating: 5/5
Listen to “Two Steps Forward”
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