Revengine

Finnish trio Revengine play American melodic hard rock on their self- recorded, self-released six-track EP, "Plan Your Escape." At times, they are as heavy as Pantera, although not often, but other times they have a homogenized radio-friendly sound similar to bands Hinder and Theory Of A Deadman.

With the wail of an air raid siren, "Given It All" begins with a groovy enough romp. Guitarist/vocalist Antti Jokiranta has a mid-tone raspy vocal tone and a decent rhythm guitar style. Although some parts seem off-key, there's something likable about Antii's voice.

"Treason" and "Fear Me" have an aggressive approach to them. "Live A Moment" has a great bass line throughout the song and good harmonies. "Die For You" is a "heard that before" kind of melodic rock song. "Turn To Stone" is a groovy rocker with a rough edge and a catchy chorus. I can see this song getting a good response in the live setting. Just as an air raid siren wail opens the CD, so does the closing of the title track.

There's nothing groundbreaking or unique on "Plan Your Escape," however, there's something about the music within that is promising. On the other hand, they sometimes have a formula of everything that I hate about generic rock bands like Creed and the aforementioned Hinder and Theory Of A Deadman. But I think Revengine could be better if they concentrated more on their songwriting, tightened up their compositions and controlled the pace of their songs a little better. Some songs are catchy, but not crunchy enough, the production is good, but the musicianship is basic and straight-forward, nothing too technical as far as riffs, drums or bass. I do hear some great potential within the melody and harmony, it's just not a fully developed or an original enough sound. Keep trying.