Singles

Various Artists - No One Gets Out Alive II – EP

Sabrina Gladstone 04/08/2008

The No One Gets Out Alive EP, No One Gets Out Alive II, was released a few weeks ago. On it were tracks from Father, The Cedar Falls, LAP, Disarm, and Truckfighters.

The first track from the Croatian, alt-metal band, Father, was “Machina”. “Machina” is a truly solid song. It has a very clear, thundering riff that reveals some masterful guitar work. The vocals are also quite impressive. They aren't the typical “cookie-monster” vocals, but some unusual and creative variation on the style. The song, which I'm sure Korn wishes they wrote, has a lot of anger and energy and is sure to be a hit among the angst-ridden metal kids. Possibly “Machina”'s finest element is its catchy chorus, which will work very well for the band when they start touring the stadiums. Out of five, this track is a four.

The next track from the alt-rock band The Cedar Falls, “Abandon”, didn't prove to be quite as original. The song was solid, the vocals were great, and the drumming was excellent. They sound like they're ready for a world tour. But, there really isn't much to say about this song because it sounded like a lot of the stuff that's already out there and already popular. There was little originality. All of the talent and ability is there; it's just a matter of creativity and making something that hasn't already been done. In any case, this band will go far. Out of five, this track is a two.

Following the Cedar Falls track was a song by LAP, “I Am”. The song has a lot of energy and it, too, will be very popular. The vocals are great. The exciting transitions between the “cookie-monster” vocals and the more melodic style are impressive and intriguing, and are similar to Corey Taylor's (Slipknot) vocal style. The guitar work was also very impressive, but there wasn't enough of it. It is apparent that the guitarist is quite talented and should have his talents more adequately show-cased. Other than that, the track was great and this band will do very well. Out of five, this track is a two.

The next track was one from Disarm who, according to their MySpace page, would “sell their own grannies for some eyeliner”. Their track, “River City Ransom Death Pact”, is extremely heavy and doesn't ever let up, not even for a second. The guitarist did a fine job. The vocals, however, were particularly interesting. The singer was on the edge of the “cookie-monster” style, but stayed just on the edge the whole time, which takes a good amount of control. On the whole, the song was very creative. But, because this group is so talented, they definitely have the ability to push themselves to sound even more innovative. Out of five, this track is a three.

The last track on the EP was a song by the Truckfighters titled “Traffic”. This song was quite the breath of fresh air. A guitar tone this heavy hasn't been heard in a while. The opening riff was electrifying, as was the bass line that followed. The middle section of the song did get a bit boring, but the song picked up again at the end with the re-introduction of the original riff. The band's guitarist has serious talent, which is why the guitar “solo” could have been a little more interesting. The song is very innovative and this band will certainly go far. Out of five, this track is a three.