ALT-ROCK
With a band name like theirs, you might expect this Austin, Texas, trio to be the next big thing in death metal. Despite the morbid moniker, however, these former church choirboys are much more arty than angry on their fourth disc. In fact, they employ an orchestra and 12-member choir for this adventurous set, which, along with Green Day's American Idiot, may just bring the rock opera back. Opening with a dramatic overture, the CD bridges the gap between the classical and rock worlds on tracks like the piano-driven "The Summer of '91," the whimsical waltz "Russia My Homeland" (featuring a solo by accomplished violinist Hilary Hahn) and the Queen-like "All White." The latter underscores the classical connection: "The curtain thins/Violins announce the score is over/The symphony clears the folded chairs/And walk towards the snack bar/And I've forgot what the libretto was all about." Balancing out the baroque touches, though, is a melodic punk-pop sensibility found on cuts like the politically charged title tune, which sharply addresses the American dream and terrorism: "How they laugh as we shovel the ashes/Of the Twin Towers/Blood and death, we will pay back the debt/Of this candy store of ours."
DOWN LOAD THIS: "Worlds Apart"
