Album Review: Shapeshifter by The Dead Rabbitts

Photo from Wikipedia

Words by: Savanah Ruiz

Hey, guys! I recently got into Escape the Fate (took me long enough, right?) and with that came the discovery of the other band of Escape the Fate’s vocalist Craig Mabbitt, The Dead Rabbitts. I quickly downloaded their music to my phone through rdio, and started listening to it while cleaning. The album starts off with a song titled "My Only Regret", which makes sense because my only regret was not finding them earlier. This is Dead Rabbitts’ second album, and if you’ve heard their first album, Edge of Reality, you can tell Dead Rabbitts has matured as a band, and that they are starting to master their music. The album flows nicely, and it's the perfect album if you've woken up late and need something to wake you up and get you pumped. This band seems to be a bit heavier than Escape the Fate, and I have to say I love it. When Craig Mabbitt did an interview with other Dead Rabbitts members, he said this band was a way to write what he wanted to write without someone over his shoulder (fellow ETF fans can probably guess who that someone is), and it shows in the music that Craig and the other members put their heart and soul into this music. To be honest, I wish I could recommend one song and title it my favorite, but I couldn't pick one for my life. Every song on this album is good, and even the ones rebooted from the previous album seem to fit in. I don't know when Dead Rabbitts is touring again, or when they will release new music, but I will definitely be waiting anxiously for news on this band.

Track List & Comments:

1. My Only Regret- I think this is the best song to start off the album and it does a great job of introducing the feel of the album.

2. Nothing But A Reject- this song was on their first album, but this version shows how much Craig’s vocals have improved, and I love hearing the differences.

3. Make Me Believe It (feat. Caleb Shomo)- This is another reboot from Dead Rabbitt’s previous work, but at first glance I don’t think you’d be able to tell this wasn’t made for this album. It fits nicely, I love Caleb and Craig’s vocals on this track, and the whole song is just great.

4. Shapeshifter- This title track is a good concert song, and you can tell this song came from the minds and hearts of the people in the band.

5. Deer In The Headlights- As with most of these songs, this one sticks with the theme of betrayal and bad friends, and it definitely works for this band.

6. Bats In The Belfry-This song takes a slightly different route than the other songs, and is about someone looking back at the things they’ve done and the person they’ve become, and it also has a headbanging chorus. This song is a great addition to the album. Also, I’m loving Craig’s scream vocals on this album!

7. Ghosts In My Bedroom- This song is interesting, and it fits in with the album well.

8. The Air I Breathe Is You- This is one of my favorites off the album, and another song previously released from their last album. Apart from the slightly dependent lyrics, this song has a great beat, and it’s nice to listen to, also the part where he’s laughing and saying he can’t breathe is kinda creepy, but it does add to the atmosphere of this song, so make sure you give this a listen if you only want to check out a few Dead Rabbitts songs.

9. Keep Tellin Yourself You Were Right- This song’s vocals are very heavy, and it fits the angry lyrics. This song is another headbanger and great for a concert in my eyes.

10. Edge of Reality- This song is the title track of their previous album, and another one of my favorites. Overall, it just has a nice vibe and I feel it’s a great track.

11. Black Cloud- This song is an amazing conclusion to this album, and everything about it is great. It’s another one of my favorites due to the fact that it’s uplifting and the fact that it just has such a nice feel to it. The chorus is great, and the verses fit nicely alongside it. If I could only listen to one playlist for the rest of my life, you could bet this among a few other Dead Rabbitts tracks would be on it.