Dead Rabbits : "Redefined"

This is a side project of Escape the Fate vocalist Craig Mabbitt. It leans into the twisted side of metal-core influenced pop that bands like Pierce the Veil and Bad Omens dominate. You can throw Falling in Reverse in the pile of artists who share a similar style as the big-sounding glitch-driven pop rock, that is more aggressive in attitude than what the guitars are doing. "T/R/A/P/P/E/D" is the lead single with enough pop hook to make me want to check out the entire album. Craig's vocals lean in the direction of what sounds like he is trying to sound like a teenage boy. Granted, youth is the current this sort of thing connects with and certainly the target market. I hope they cover a wider range of sonic textures as the album progresses. The arena rocking the album starts off with is fun enough, but bound to run out of gas. 

By "Oxygen," up until the screaming comes in, they were beginning to sound like Linkin Park. Nu-metal is what this sort of thing is rooted in; some vocals are almost rapped, which is where they share more common ground with Falling in Reverse. Even the growled vocals do not make this heavy. Though for my ears, that is the point of what is going on here. "Crowned Clown" thumps with a grooving guitar that is dialed back to leave room for a more brooding vocal, which has a great deal of melodic appeal. The vocals were obviously the focus of their session and given the most love in the studio. There is a guitar solo that works better than expected in the last minute of the song. 

"Hellscape" seems more invested in being a metal song until the vocals come in on the verse. Despite the teenage vocals, the song is a little Stitched Up Heart's singerAlecia Demner and Wednesday 13 appear on the track.  They continue further down into nu-metal for "Mistake". It ebbs out of a soft to loud dynamic with the more melodic pop verse, building into an anthemic chorus. The emphasis on vocal hooks makes a strong case in their favor towards this approach. " Misleading" follows this formula as well. It works better than their attempt at a more thrashing attack that leaves them sounding more like My Chemical Romance on "Understand". 

"Redefined" works well enough."Meat HOOK" has more of nu-metal's hip-hop undercurrent. It has a catchy groove, so that works in its favor. "ConsPIRACY" closes the album. There is nothing new introduced; it basically sums up what this album is about. I will give this album a 9, as they excel at what they do and make it catchy enough for someone like me who is not really into this sort of thing derive some entertainment from it. 

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