Welcome to the Masquerade

Album Review

On 2009's Welcome to the Masquerade, the trio that put the "rawk" in rawkfest gives no hint of the rap element that once defined their sound, fueling the evidence that the guys from Toronto have fully morphed into one of the decade's powerhouse modern rock outfits. No longer living in a world dominated by the rapcore and nu metal groups that once drew their comparisons (Limp Bizkit, Korn), Thousand Foot Krutch have moved on, unveiling new heights of pure rock which, it would seem, the band was always destined to reach. Indeed, the band's full-scale audio assault makes it difficult to imagine that they could ever top the crystal-clear production and deliberate crunch of Masquerade. Each track is propelled by muscular riffs, fighting its way into permanent memory alongside the greatest mainstream rock bands of the decade. The fist-pumping anthem "Fire It Up" was already featured in video games and movie trailers by the time the album dropped. Other pure doses of adrenaline like "E for Extinction" and "Bring Me to Life" are fast and forceful. The aptly titled "Forward Motion" finds TFK at their most futuristic, with an almost emo-like efficiency. Masquerade is modern rock in its element and a sign that this band has no intentions of slowing down after 12 years together.