Phoenix, Arizona melodic hard rock act, Escape The Hive‘s debut full length album, This is Gonna Sting, due for release on 15th September through Shock Records/Vanity Music Group, and concurrent with that is new single ‘Separate Lives‘.
“’Separate Lives’ is a song about what ifs and what is important in your life and how the choices we make when we are younger stick with us as we get older,” said frontman Michael Thomas Beck, formerly with Kings of Dust and Jake E. Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel.
“We all think back to how things would be different if another choice was made. It’s a song that has been around for a little while but was never used. But I knew when writing the lyrics that it kinda had a special meaning to me, and when we were looking for songs to include on our debut, it felt like the time was right.”
You can check out the video here at RAMzine.
Described as 70s pomp rock meets 80s arena rock, not in an attempt to relive the past but as a way and means to push the genre further along, Escape The Hive have thrown the likes of Foreigner, Deep Purple, Brian Howe-era Bad Company and Night Ranger, into the blender as influences, added some modern recording techniques and popped out their own unique brand of melodic hard rock.
Fronted by former Kings of Dust and one time Jake E. Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel singer Michael Thomas Beck, Escape The Hive came to life in 2021 and also features James ‘Rooster’ Olson (Big & Rich, Mark Chestnutt, Chely Wright, etc), keyboardist Mike Vars, bassist Paul Williams (of DL Marble) and drummer A.D. Adams (Crash Street Kids, Dirty Looks, Beat Angels).
Recorded at Phoenix’s Soundvision Studios, This is Gonna Sting was produced by frontman Beck and shows the quintet expanding on those 70s arena rock influences with modern production values. The sonics of the record are a throwback to that sound. A very vintage approach. With soaring harmonies that are ingrained in that writing style with some of the flash and dynamics of the 80s.
The first track out of the gate for the quintet was the single ‘It’s Not Alright’, about dealing with adversity. “Sometimes when things look great for a person, there is a lot more going one in their life than what you see or what you know,” said Beck.
Standout tracks include the just released single and video ‘Separate Lives’, ‘It’s Not Alright’, previous single ‘In Between’ and a “daring take” on The Beatles’ ‘Something’.
‘In Between’ deals with social media and vocalist Michael Thomas Beck sings “These friends I’ve never known, but I know. And their endless faces” with the point of the song becoming ever more clear.
The singles can be found at Apple Music and Spotify, and you can check out the videos to them here at RAMzine.
This is Gonna Sting is now available for here. Pre-orders included an immediate three-song sampler from the eight track debut and an autographed mini poster to be included with delivery of the album, that is slated for release this summer through Shock Records/Vanity Music Group.
