Strung Out has been delivering a ripping mixture of melodic punk and metal for more than a decade. Never following the simple recipe of “Just four power chords!”, their strong, harmonic guitar solos, layered over heavy bass and drums, make them the kind of band you want playing on your iPod when you need an extra boost to hit that huge tabletop in the snowboard park, or to pump you up before a skate or surf session.

The band’s latest release, Exile in Oblivion, is probably their heaviest album to date. Strung Out has evolved musically since their early days, with more complexity explored in the guitar and drum playing. Singer Jason Cruz has developed his voice to accommodate more extremes, from screaming to harmony. Accompanied by slashing guitar solos and heavy double-bass drumming, Exile in Oblivion begins where the 2002 album An American Paradox left off. But this time the music is faster, heavier, and more dynamic, as extreme uses of sound are explored a little more extensively. Exile gets your heart pumping with hardcore and metal elements, vivid in “Her Name in Blood” and “Blueprints of the Fall,” two of the album’s heaviest and fastest tracks.

While the first half of the album pumps you up, the second half slows you back down into reality by delivering a more poppy feel. The break can be heard distinctly beginning with “Anna Lee.” The lyrical hook of Cruz’s vocals draws you in with lyrics about loneliness and loss that most everyone can relate to. Heavy drumming and truthful lyrics make “Swan Dive” a favorite for the latter part of the album.

Overall, Exile in Oblivion delivers a solid dose of new Strung Out tunes for avid fans, and a breath of fresh air to all the generic emo and screamo bands out there these days. If you’re looking for music to give you a rush of blood to the head, this is it.