[advertising]

By KRYS GRANDMOND
Staff Writer

"Awesome" was the first word out of my sister's mouth when I popped in Escape From Earth's debut EP, "Three Seconds East".

This particular assignment has passed through the hands of four different writers. Months later, and full of frustration, I gave in. I don't know what, if anything, could prevent someone from writing a rave review about this above average EP. Everyone seems to love it and gets excited about reviewing it, but nobody ever does. Maybe the words just don't come to mind that would do this thing justice. But I'll do what I can.

When the cd starts to play, you immediately hear EFE's song, "Yesterday". At first, I thought my cd player had broken down or something, but don't let the stuttered start fool you. Wait it out a few seconds and you get blasted with the sound that is Escape From Earth. I'd like to say it's their best song on the CD, but with every track, I change my mind.

"Beautiful" is a slower piece which brings the mood down to a more mellow, slow and relaxing pace. It's still a great song, showing the true quality of Sernel's voice. The sexy, raspy roar (that graces the rest of the album) dulls to a whisper, it seems, to touch everybody in the audience and allows us all to focus more on the meaning of the song than the kick ass music that accompanies it.

Not to be mistaken for the sensitive stylings of someone like Springsteen, the band picks up the pace and kicks the shit out of the song "One Thing Or Another". If I close my eyes, i can see Paul beating the drums into submission, and possibly even breaking the occasional stick to this song. The steady rhythm is so heavy that it takes a lot of work to actually sit still.

Ahh, "Never Hear". Heavy music mixed with smooth vocals open this track, leaving me a little confused. But not to worry, immediately after the first verse, Sernel's voice opens like a storm to satisfy your waiting senses. As I said earlier, with every track, I have a new favourite. Something about the fusion of Sernel's two sides (the heavy and the soft) gives this track its own flavour. The false ending has you ready to get into the next song, when without time for even a breath, the band is back into it to finish up.

But a break you get, and you're going to need it. "Without", the band's last song on the cd opens with a few quiet notes (on a keyboard?) that continues to stick in the background music. The steady riffs, loud pounding drums and heavy bass create a gag, of sorts, that shut out the lighthearted piano-like notes during certain parts of the song. But in a surprise ending, all of that fades out and the notes that started the song end it, this time accompanied by an acoustic guitar.

The perfect ending . . . . . . . . . . or is it?

I think it's just the beginning.