1977 [Splatter Vinyl]

Two-thirds of were born in 1977, which means that their latter-day isn't very Catholic. Instead of sticking to the rigid rules of American -- which means you can't stretch the song past three minutes -- take a cinematic approach to their songs, throwing in elements of , , post- , and post- . It's a melting pot of styles, basically because the members of the band are so young, they haven't conformed to the standards of the indie and subcultures. Sure, still use loud guitars -- they're all over -- but they create a distinctive, melodic, and energetic sound that's equal parts heavy and light . And while they may indulge in jamming a bit too much, they remain a band at heart, capable of turning out epic like and the lovely but loud with equal flair. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine