A powerful duo featuring guitarist and vocalist (formerly of and ) and drummer (ex- ), deliver a righteous blast of guitar-driven, post-hardcore fury on their debut album, . Merging the furious attack of metal with the stripped-down but imaginative approach of indie rock, 's music is bracingly muscular even as it frequently mixes up the walls of guitar and percussion with brittle overlays of noise and resonant keyboard patches. Accompanied by the deeply personal, spiritually informed lyrics that were 's trademark in , finds him taking his musical vision in a new direction that's leaner but still relentlessly powerful, while exploring new ways to work with rock & roll's two most basic building blocks, guitar and drums. ~ Mark Deming