Escape The Fate I Am Human

Vegas band Escape the Fate’s sixth album is all about love—but these aren’t exactly love songs. Frontman Craig Mabbitt is tormented by pain and heartbreak: “The way that you love me feels like hate”, he wails on “Four Letter Word”, atop wild shredding and furious drums. He laments past mistakes on acoustic softie “If Only”, but those feelings are quickly shrouded by hedonism on album highlight “Empire”. For all its aggression, the choruses of I Am Human are amazingly catchy, influenced by pop as much as metalcore. It’s a perfect storm of power and melody.