Falling In Reverse: The Drug In Me Is You

The opening and closing lines to “Tragic Magic” define in a nutshell the theme of The Drug In Me Is You, the debut album from Falling In Reverse. Singer Ronnie Radke opens the song by declaring, “I’m back,” and laughing and concluding with the declaration that he is “king of the music scene”—clearly the modest type. It’s the lyrics really that keep you listening, as it is now Radke’s time to talk about what he’s been dealing with the past couple of years: Addiction, jail time and drama with his old band, Escape The Fate.

Musically, there’s a bit of everything. On opening track, “Raised By Wolves,” you’re met with a blend of hardcore, metalcore and pop that is easy to get into with a dash of electro beats at the end; it’s a scenester’s dream. Between fast guitars, heavy drums and shred guitar solos is Radke’s up and down vocals singing about girls and people jealous of him. He turns “I’m Not A Vampire” into an AA meeting. The lyrical content does contain serious and heavy subject matter, which can be offset by the light and sometimes-campy instrumentals as on “Caught Like A Fly,” with its carnival-esque melody. However, this does allow the album to appeal to a wider audience, especially those that lean towards pop-rock but like some screaming and breakdowns.

Standout tracks are “Sink Or Swim” and “Goodbye Graceful,” which both have the right mix of hardcore and pop and genuine emotion. A fun listen and decent starting-off point, The Drug In Me Is You lets Radke get some things off his chest.

In A Word: Revenge