Skrape are one of the latest up and comers who their eyes set on taking the new metal throne and they manage to put up quite a fair fight with this, their major label debut. Taking the melodic aspects and electronic edge of groups like Filter and mixing it with the alternative sensibilities of Econoline Crush, the band should have no problem gaining a foothold at rock radio and with the added new metal stomp akin to say Disturbed, they also may be able to easily find their place with audiences as well.

Vocalist Billy seemingly takes the angst and restraint of Filter's Richard Patrick and the melodic capabilities of Econoline Crush's Trevor Hurst and creates a blend of the better aspects of both, possessing both a warm range and a sense of aggressive emotion. Occasionally spiked with lunging deep throaty bellows, the verbal aspect of this CD overall is quite pleasing and plays one of the bigger roles throughout the 12 tracks. Guitars draw similarities to the likes of Disturbed, using repeated bursts of crunchy riffs to jar the listeners attention before sawing into their ears with driving rhythms. Meanwhile, the bass playing is solid and fills out its role, working alongside the drums to create a tight low end sound that works well with the slight touch of electronics that spice up the groups mixture and add a modern edge.

Though relatively a newcomer, Skrape show a maturity on this album that is a bit uncommon among bands these days and their musicianship is also of a higher caliber than most. Filled with churning grooves and relatively percussion driven songs, they also experiment occasionally, slowing down the tempo a bit, especially on the almost hypnotic cut, "Kill Control". As a whole though, the song writing can feel a bit flat and the band tend to fail to give each part change enough time to set in before shifting into a new direction. As a result, there can be times when the songs seem to blur into each other, leaving only the few of the standout tracks included here to break the cycle. But still, after a few listens its hard not to feel that this hasn't been done before and though there's no faulting the band on their talent and ability, the music just doesn't lay out anything entirely new. In the end, what we're left is a solid effort that contains quite a few infectious hooks and catchy riffs without being too heavy or sound contrived and though it may not exactly kill anyone, it should still be able to at least wound a healthy portion of the American public if given the right chances.