Now that country-music videos are more scandalous than MTV, it’s refreshing to see that the rock ‘n’ roll tradition of rebellion, angst, and breaking things for the sake of music is alive and well. Papa Roach’s frontman, Jacoby Shaddix, became rockstar-angry at producer Howard Benson (P.O.D., Blindside, Hoobastank) and hurled a flower vase against a recording studio wall in an effort to get his emotions flowing while recording “Getting Away With Murder”—and it was effective. The new album from Papa Roach is as loud and vicious as a hotel manager who just discovered that the visiting rock band totally trashed a few rooms; on the other hand, the band’s sound is more refined and melodic than it’s ever been. Love, defiance, alcohol, and political tyranny fuel the lyrical content of the album, and there are no traces of the rap/metal fusion that brought fame to Papa Roach for its breakout album, Infest. (Which, incidentally, earned the band a spot on Eminem’s Anger Management tour.) Nowadays, Jerry Horton’s guitar, Dave Buckner’s drums, and Tobin Esperance’s bass come together with Shaddix’s vocals for a distinctive sound that blurs the line between rock and soft punk. Wrote some haiku about it; like to hear? Here it go:

THE BAND
Ready to rock you
Just as soon as they finish
Getting their hair done

THE ALBUM
Four deft musicians
In a Cadillac of angst
With a new paint job

THE MUSIC
A few rock clichés
Like full frontal nudity
But tastefully done