A Sense Of Familiarity With ROBERT ORTIZ From ESCAPE THE FATE

Interview by Kris Peters
For over two decades now, Escape The Fate have been one of the most recognisable names in modern hard rock, building an incredible catalogue packed with stadium-wrecking hooks, ferocious riffs and the kind of jackhammer heaviness that has kept fans coming back since their breakthrough record, 2008’s This War Is Ours. The bands latest release, 2025’s Redefined, once again showcases a band that comfortably moves between crushing heaviness, soaring choruses and anthemic rock moments like true masters of their craft.
Australia has always held Escape The Fate close to their hearts with the bands fanbase being one of the most loyal in the world, patiently waiting three long years for their return. That patience will be rewarded with a live show packed with fan favourites, massive singalongs and the kind of explosive energy that has defined Escape The Fate’s reputation as one of the greatest live acts of their era.
HEAVY sat down with drummer and founding member Robert Ortiz to find out more, asking him what has changed with the band since their last visit three years ago.
"I can't believe it's been that long," he almost apologised. "That's insane. Mainly it's just the dynamic that has changed. The vision, the devotion, the hard work, the dedication, as Floyd Mayweather always used to like to say. We're very excited about the new album. We spent the majority of the last two years writing, recording and relaxing a little bit. There's been some stuff where, personally, I had to deal with a couple of things with my family and some loss and things like that, but I spent time with my daughters and all that kind of stuff while working on new music, which we're so incredibly excited for."
In the full interview, Robert emphasized Escape The Fate's energetic, authentic live presence and praised guitarist Matty's musicianship, contrasting current purpose-driven touring with earlier, less focused periods. He recounted recent touring with Lacuna Coil and audience engagement varying by market. He also summarized the band's origins in the Las Vegas scene and how regional club touring shaped their development.
Robert described their most recent single Deja Vu as lyrically focused on vocalist Craig's sobriety and recurring fears and musically introducing a darker digital element. He said the single signals the album's direction but does not represent the whole record. The album is characterized as the band's most cohesive to date while stylistically diverse, containing a full thrash song featuring blast beats and double bass, some pop-leaning tracks that retain dark tones and plenty more.


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