About.com Rating



The World Outside is the sophomore CD for Tempe, Arizona's Eyes Set To Kill. The band was started by sisters Alexia (vocals, guitar) and Anissa (bass) Rodriguez. ESTK is rounded out by keyboardist/vocalist Brandon Anderson, guitarist Greg Kerwin and drummer Caleb Clifton.

Genre-wise, The World Outside has elements of metalcore, post-hardcore and rock. The songs are melodic, but also have an edge. Eyes Set To Kill alternates male screaming vocals and female melodic singing.


They are pretty evenly distributed, although the singing probably gets a bit more exposure. Craig Mabbitt from Escape The Fate guests on "Deadly Weapons," and the male/female melodic singing is a nice change of pace.

ESTK varies tempos and intensities pretty well. Tracks like "Hour Glass" and "Wake Me Up" pack a pretty good punch, although there are mellower moments within those songs. The most accessible songs on The World Outside are the ones without screaming vocals, such as the title track and the album closer "Come Home," a piano based ballad.

It will be interesting to hear what direction Eyes Set To Kill follows going forward. In a live setting their more intense songs and combination of singing and screaming is more of a crowd pleaser, but the more mainstream songs with only Rodriguez's singing have more commercial potential.

(released June 2, 2009 on Break Silence Recordings)