Eyes Set to Kill: Broken Frames

When Eyes Set to Kill broke out in 2008 with Reach, its biggest selling points were sisters Alexia and Anissa Rodriguez. The presence of two women in a metalcore/post-hardcore band was uncommon, and still is two years later. After 2009’s darker The World Outside, the band has settled into its sound on Broken Frames. Lead singer Alexia sounds a lot like In This Moment vocalist Maria Brink on this album, singing an octave higher than on previous albums. New screamer Cisko Miranda fits into the sound nicely, adopting a more natural, gritty vocal style than his predecessor, Brandon Anderson. The music is slightly more aggressive, but still not terribly original. The biggest upside to this band is that it avoids the “emo” and “whiny” tags often applied to many contemporaries, which is thanks to the strength of Alexia’s voice. Broken Frames isn’t mind-blowing, but it’s a solid album.