The Drug in Me is Ronnie - He's Back!

Wow. I have been waiting for so long for this album. I have anxiously been awaiting one of my favourite rocker’s return and he has not disappointed me. The Drug in Me Is You is a great album. Sure, it’s not the best album I’ve ever heard, but it’s definitely up there. There’s just something about his voice that I adore (I just can’t seem to get used to Craig’s, for whatever reason…) and always have, and his unique lyrics just captivate me. I think the only thing that’s "wrong" with this album is the fact that Ronnie has been locked up in jail and isolated for a tad too long, and this shows in some of the lyrics. Some are just cheap shots at Escape the Fate, and some really aren’t that imaginative. But let’s give him a break and appreciate the fact that he’s come back for us fans, shall we? I’m sure the next album will be even better, as long as he doesn’t go too rap/pop-like and stays true to us rock/alternative fans, unlike most bands have lately… But nonetheless, after giving myself a while to listen to it all so many times, I can finally give you a decent review.

"Raised by Wolves" scores a 4/5 on my iTunes, which isn’t bad for an opening song. The start sort of reminds me of a My Chemical Romance song, but it soon turns into a true Ronnie song. I feel that anyone can find something to relate to with these lyrics, and the music is pure rock, backing up the powerful voice. A standout lyric to me, that I find clever, is "I just learned that my fate is something that I can’t escape." To me, this is one of the more thought out shots at Escape the Fate that also has more meaning to the fans, as it can be interpreted into so much more too. Ronnie also sings "This war is mine and You’re what I started, now disregarded, one day they’ll see, it was always me." I particularly like the last lyric, as it is another planned attack, but I can personally relate too. I love the lyrics in this song and how easy it is to interpret them into your own situation, and I commend Ronnie on this. I am not that fond of the guitar solo, if it can even be called that, but nonetheless, it doesn’t ruin the song at all. Overall, not the best song on the album, but definitely a must-listen-to if you love meaningful lyrics. Though, it’s a shock to me that they made a video for it, but let’s not get into that…

"Tragic Magic" gets a 5/5 from me, and is also my third most played song off this album so far. I love how personal Ronnie gets with this song. He really shares a piece of his life with the fans, and how he has turned the horrible events into something beautiful; a song. This is so inspiring to me that I wrote a story about it, and I’m sure many other fans will find inspiration in one way or another from this song. We really can all be “Bruised and broken” at some point, but we can and will “Rise against them” and succeed. Also, the “La la la la la”s have me hooked, and I find it’s a great way to build up the song in the middle of it. Also, the “I’m baaaack…” at the start of the song always gets me excited; I really have been waiting for this album for too long. The music fits the lyrics perfectly, and I usually find myself focusing in on the drums. The breakdown is also great, really exaggerating Ronnie’s screams and the power of them. Everything fits in nicely for me; a catchy rock song, meaningful lyrics, screams… What more could I want?

"The Drug in Me Is You" gets a 5/5 and it’s been played quite a bit. The rhythm guitar is very catchy, though sometimes it just doesn’t quite do it for me. It seems to obvious and not quite original enough. Though, the guitar solo is enjoyable, much more so than the rest of the guitar, and I do wish that Jacky could have kept his performance a bit more consistent. It all seems a smidgen too simple at times, but is a pretty catchy song. The lyrics are beautiful, and I think they deserve a less catchy, slower, and far more powerful music to back them up. Again, amazingly everyone can relate to them in some way or another, whether it is actually to do with drugs or something completely dissimilar to that. I love the way that Ronnie can reach out to us all.

I will admit that when I first heard it, I kind of disliked "I’m Not a Vampire". I felt like the band had given in to the Twilight craze so didn’t listen to it for a while. But that changed once the video came out. Now, I rate it 5/5 and it’s currently the most played song (though there is a close second, but I’ll talk about that song in a minute). I know you know I’m going to say it, so I’ll just say it; the drums at the start are awesome. The beat is maintained throughout the whole song and it’s great. It’s not too fast, but just right. And the other instruments keep up with it well, providing us with a crazy, yet fun, song that definitely has a spooky theme to it. The guitar solo always rocks me. I feel like everything works for this song, and releasing it as a second single was a good choice. The lyrics are good, shouting out to the supernatural obsession we all have, whether it be vampires or zombies, you’re bound to secretly like one of them. I like the way he relates their characteristics to features we can share some similarities to and how he’s crafted it into a fast paced catchy tune. Awesome job on this song, and it’s definitely the one you want to listen to first.

"Good Girls Bad Guys" also likes to blow me away. With a 5/5 rating and the second most plays (by a hair!) this song is always stuck in my head. Yes, it is super catchy, and once you listen to it twice, it won’t leave your head. The guitar solo was a bit of a let-down. I thought it would have had a bit more to it, but nevertheless it suits the song just fine. It’s not the most original song, in terms of music, but I still like it. Perhaps the simplicity helps it to be good, and at least you can still rock out to it. It does pose a very good question though. Really, why do good girls like bad guys? Can anyone answer that? I mean, I’m a good girl who loves all the bad rockstars, but I can’t explain why! Any ideas? Anyway, I’m digressing. These lyrics are perfect for any female who has a crush on Ronnie, or anyone who’s simply in that mood. Whenever you need a party, playful, cheerful song, this is the one you want to be singing along to. I expected this to be the second single off the album, simply because it is so catchy and there would be a similar video to Situations for it (I assume) and it would grab people’s attention to them. If you love Situations, go for this song.

I absolutely adore the bass in "Pick up the Phone". Not to mention, the guitar and drums complement the bass well and really show the tune, but the bass is awesome. It’s so catchy and great, so good job Nason on that one! I really love the other instruments in this song too. I like the slow pace to start with, then the mischievous guitar comes in, slowly speeding it up a tad, then it gets fast paced before we hit the chorus with powerful everything hitting you all at once. "I’m better off living in Hell!" is a strong lyric, especially with the exaggeration put on it, and then a shredding solo follows. This song is truly the perfect mix of angry alternative music and catchy tunes. It might not grab your attention straight away because of "Good Girls Bad Guys" or "The Drug in Me is You", but once you realise how awesome it is, you won’t be able to stop listening. Trust me. 5/5 from me, and a great deal of plays too.

"Don’t Mess with Ouija Boards" originally caught my eye, or ear, but now has slipped down the ranks. I only give it 3/5, and not that many plays. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely not a bad song, but after the thrashing screaming verses, the slower sung choruses seem kind of out of place. That being said, I do like the lyrics of the chorus, "I’m always searching, for serenity, and I’m always standing, on the edge of reality." Again, going back to how relatable Ronnie’s lyrics are; he’s fantastic at writing. The breakdown also could have been done better, in my opinion, and this song just really seems to fade out into every other screamo song that I have. It has potential, but in my opinion, it wasn’t used as well as it could have been. Though, if you adore screaming and musically powerful songs, give this one a try.

"Sink or Swim" is another song that wasted some of its potential, and I rate this one a 3/5 as well. The opening lines, "What if the devil was a lie? What if God did not exist?" are great, straight away catching anyone’s attention and perhaps making you question things. But after that, the verses lose their meaning to me, as the presentation of the good lyrics seems too disorganised. The chorus is strong and easy to sing along to, and I can feel his emotion, which is what I would want to hear in the verses. As soon as the music quietens down, I begin to like the song more. It always gets my attention, with softer vocals that are audible and have a huge meaning. I know I sound like a broken record, but I bring your attention back to how Ronnie’s lyrics are so easy to connect to. This part is definitely my favourite part of the song, and I would love the song more if the start was a bit better. But if you are a fan of the previous song, you will be of this one too.

And now we’re finally up to the bizarre song, "Caught Like a Fly". I have given it a considerable amount of plays, as well as a rating of 5/5. Sure, it sounds different, like a carnival themed song, but I adore it. A few bands have produced songs with this kooky sound, and I think Falling in Reverse have pulled it off the best so far. Not to mention this is a more crafty punch at Escape the Fate, which Ronnie fans will love, but even if you don’t approve of the insults, you can’t overlook this song. There is a lot of abandonment emotion in this song, as well as vengeance of the sweetest kind, and no rocker can ignore that. It’s a great song; unique sound, easy to sing to and clear lyrics. The solo is simple but nice, the piano break is beautiful, and Ronnie sounds amazing, so definitely give this one a few listens. Besides, who can resist that mischievous voice at the start and end?

"Goodbye Graceful" gets 3/5 as well, simply because it doesn’t stand out that much, despite an epic title. It is difficult to compete with other songs, like the preceding song, and even though I like the chorus a lot, there isn’t much for me to like in the verses. Again, if you like a lot of screaming, this one will be more enjoyable than some of the other tracks on the album, but for me it’s just too chaotic. The guitar solo, on the other hand, is awesome. It shreds hard and fast, and the other instruments back it up appropriately. This is the kind of solo I wished to see in some of the other songs. At the end, the lyric "I wrote this song to make you smile," always get stuck in my head, along with the guitar just shredding as it fades out. Basically, if you’re looking for a shredding song to thrash to, this would be it. It’s nowhere near bad, but not the best song on the album.

And the album ends with "The Westerner", another song that starts off sounding interestingly weird, but soon turns into a heavier song. In iTunes, I’ve given it a 4/5, and it really deserves that rating. It’s a good quick pace, has some thrashing beats, and the chorus slams into you, forcing you to sing along. And then the guitar solo is all over the place, but in a good way. I like it, though would have liked it to be longer, perhaps, just to add to the greatness of the song. For the last time, I swear, I will mention the great writing skills of Ronnie, how he opens with relatable parent issues, instantly grabbing any teenager’s attention. The Do do do do do do do do, bah bah bah da’s are super catchy, and I like the way they fade out in the end. It makes me think that there’s more wonderful music coming from Ronnie and his new band, and that makes me very happy.

So overall, a 4/5 for the album. Ronnie has created some really amazing songs that are definitely worth a spot in your heart, and there are a few other songs to suit everyone’s taste. Whether you want something to sing to or something to bang your head to, it’s on the album. Really good overall, but now I’m just so excited to see what they conjure up next. But in the meantime, I’ll just keep on taking Ronnie’s music as my drug.