Ronald Joseph Radke is an American musician known for his work as a vocalist and songwriter. He is currently the frontman of the rock band Falling in Reverse and was previously the lead singer of the post-hardcore group Escape the Fate.
His rise to fame began with Escape the Fate, but legal troubles led to his departure in 2008 after a probation violation landed him in prison. While incarcerated, he began conceptualizing a new project initially named From Behind These Walls, which later evolved into Falling in Reverse. The band started recording after Radke’s release in December 2010.
The original name of the band had to be changed due to a naming conflict with another group. During his time in prison, Radke expressed doubts about returning to music, telling his friend Nason Schoeffler that he might pursue a normal job. Schoeffler encouraged him to keep going, leading Radke to jokingly offer him a spot in the new band.
Nason took the idea seriously, created a MySpace page, and began recruiting members, eventually connecting with guitarist Jacky Vincent and rhythm guitarist Derek Jones. After several lineup changes due to issues with drummers, they eventually settled on Ryan Seaman. Schoeffler exited the group in April 2011 and was succeeded by bassist Mika Horiuchi.
As for “Last Resort (Reimagined)”, the song is a misstep from the start. Attempting to transform a nu-metal anthem by Papa Roach into a dramatic, piano-driven ballad results in a track that lacks emotional authenticity and feels overly theatrical.
The charm of the original—its raw, energetic angst—is stripped away, leaving behind an overwrought and ineffective reinterpretation. It ends the album on a particularly low note.
Overall, the album struggles in nearly every aspect. While not the worst release ever, it combines the less appealing traits of both rock and rap, lacking the depth or creativity of the genres it borrows from. Its flirtation with political pandering feels out of place and disingenuous, especially given the band’s earlier work.
With so many more talented and sincere artists in the metal, rock, and rap scenes today, listeners would be better off exploring those instead.