Last month Escape The Fate released the new song ‘Invincible’ and announces their upcoming album, ‘Chemical Warfare’.
Their latest single features critically-acclaimed, fan favourite, American violinist, songwriter, and dancer Lindsey Stirling and will feature on the soundtrack to the upcoming horror/thriller The Retaliators, due out in 2021.
Vocalist Craig Mabbit will make an appearance as an undercover cop named Arlo Garcia in the film alongside some of rock’s biggest names including the members of Five Finger Death Punch, Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach and Tommy Lee among others. Check out the video of Invincible below featuring Lindsey Stirling below!
Eagle eyed fans would also notice that in the music video it says ‘Arlo’ on a tag hanging off Craig’s foot.
The word ‘Invincible’, would actually be the perfect word to use in describing Escape The Fate, the band has survived personnel changes and the cancellation of their tours due to the pandemic. The band has been consistently releasing new music for well over a decade to their audience of over 4 Million dedicated social media followers and this Friday (20th November) the band will do a streaming concert, LIVE worldwide. They are set to perform greatest hits and songs from their forthcoming album. Tickets can be purchased on www.escapethefate.com now!
We caught up with vocalist Craig Mabbitt as he talked about the band’s latest single ‘Invincible’, upcoming album ‘Chemical Warfare’ and much more!
So Escape the Fate have recently released a new single titled Invincible featuring Lindsey Stirling, how did this collaboration come about?
So the collaboration came about because our drummer (Robert) is a big Lindsey Stirling fan and he actually contacted her on the last album to do a feature and it just didn’t line up due to her and us both being on tour. So we tried again for this record and we’re just really happy that it all fell into place. Also because the last record we were going to feature her on was an acoustic record and this one is a heavier song so for her to be on this one I was like “this is going to be sick!” And she absolutely killed it!
The track also features on an upcoming horror/thriller movie coming out next year titled ‘The Retaliators’ and you’re actually going to make an appearance as an undercover cop named Arlo Garcia in the film, is acting something you want to pursue in the future?
It’s definitely something I’d love to get into and pursue, it’s just I’m the type of person that is always in my head, like I still get stage freight after touring the world for 15 years. But I would definitely like to get involved and work with some more directors because it’s really fun to just get out of your own head and becoming someone else. I act when I get on stage and do a show, I act in music videos, I’ve co directed one of our music videos and it’s just a lot of fun! That’s why I’m such a big fan of video games because you can get out of being yourself and become this other character.
So your new album ‘Chemical Warfare’ has been announced and is released 19th February 2021, can you tell us a bit about the album and have you got a favourite song off that upcoming record?
I do have some favourite songs off the album but classic story every song on the album I end up having a sweet spot for and ends up having a B-Side. But the great thing about this album is I have a sweet spot for every song, some albums I have a selection of favourites that I end up playing over and over again but with this album I don’t see myself skipping any song which is really exciting. I just feel like this is a whole new beginning for the band, there’s a whole entire vibe about this album which is something fresh but it’s not so new that it gets away from Escape The Fate too much and I’m just so excited for everyone to hear it.
You’ve also just released a song titled ‘Christmas Song’ which is on the Christmas With Better Noise album, is Christmas something you all look forward to?
For me, ever since I was a little kid, as soon as I start seeing the Halloween decorations up in the store, I’m pumped up until New Years day. That whole season is exciting for me because of the chillier weather, even though I do still enjoy the sun and the beach there’s just different feeling around this season, like Halloween and Christmas and Thanksgiving. I’ve been on tour overseas during Halloween and Christmas time and there’s just a different vibe and I just love it.
You’ve also announced a Live worldwide performance for 20th November to be streamed online, what can fans expect from this and are you looking forward to be performing again?
Absolutely! Me and the guys haven’t been together playing music since March 4th so its been like 7 months and we’ve finished an album during this time so not only will we get together to play some of the classics but we’ll have some of these new songs that we haven’t yet performed together at all. I’m just really excited to get together with the guys again and play these tracks and then you add being able to perform for the fans again and I’m just really excited to get back out there again.
So the music industry over in the UK right now is going through a tough time in particular with independent venues forcing to close with Covid-19 going on, is it a similar feeling in the US?
It’s defiantly something similar over here in the US, and that’s just the ones I’ve heard about so I couldn’t imagine the ones that were just opening or didn’t have as big of a name as some of these other venues like ‘Chain Reaction’. They’re really struggling right now and they’re a big and popular venue that everybody’s heard of here in the US that has been open for years. So its really scary that when everything goes back to normal, where are we going to play!
Speaking of the pandemic, how difficult has it been for you as a band to meet up and pitch ideas during quarantine, did you lose any motivation at all?
I definitely would say I lost motivation for a lot of things at the beginning of it and it was really scary, like I worried if everyone was okay, if my family would be okay. And then I started worrying about if we were gonna be able to play again, like that’s my job! What are we gonna do! You just start freaking out but I’ve been able to get a breath of fresh air because of everything being shut. I guess I kinda needed it to get a mental break away from the road to kind of find myself again. You have to find the pros and cons in everything and I managed to spend some time at home and get some things under control that I haven’t been able to do because I’ve been on the road this entire time.
So you brought out a solo song on Soundcloud back in April titled ‘Never Be’, is this something you would like to pursue in the future?
100% I’d love to work more on a solo album, it’s just trying to find the time and finding people to work with during all this Covid stuff. I released it because I had time to myself at home and already had it recorded but I also wanted to release it in more of an organic way rather than an official release because the other thing is I haven’t really booked time to work on a solo record and also what would a Craig Mabbitt solo album sound like? So throwing it on Soundcloud is good to get some feedback and get an understanding of what my solo album would even sound like.
There’s only two sides of music man, shit you like and shit you don’t like, that’s it!
Are you a PS5 or Xbox person?
I’m never one of the “console war people” because I just make sure I go out and get my hands on all of them because they all have their own games. But even though I like PS5 more than Xbox, I need to play the new Halo when it comes out, there’s no question about it!