Die Symphony- The Everlasting Shame

After hitting the radio and conquering the mp3.com charts with their first two releases, the DeVein brothers have returned with Die Symphony's anticipated third offering, The Everlasting Shame. A solid slice of industrial-tinged alternative rock full of cleanly distorted riffs and catchy sing-along choruses, this album doesn't really break any new ground, but rather takes its cue (sonically, melodically, and even lyrically) from the 90s school of radio friendly electronic-infused alt rock inhabited by bands like Stabbing Westward.

While the album is a bit on the short side by today's standards, clocking in at under 38 minutes, it's a fairly strong 37+ minutes. Blending straightforward guitar-driven alt rock with a few more ethereal, synth-centered bridges and interludes and the occasional industrial touch (including a Broken-era NIN-esque breakdown on "Ugly Like Me"), the eleven tracks here (10 proper songs plus a 51-second interlude) are a beautiful combination of infectious pop grooves, angst driven rock, and atmospheric keyboards. While the album is strong from start to finish, its shining moment comes in the form of "Runaway", a great radio-hit-worthy track that features one of the catchiest alt rock choruses I've heard in years. Other highlights range from the great rocker "Ugly Like Me" to the moodier keyboard string accented "Candles for Jessica" to the odd-but-intriguing upbeat new wave end of "Say Hello", the album's title track, to the beautiful eastern-style female vocal loops and great epic synth/guitar chorus of "My Disease". The album's only sub-par track is "Say Goodbye", a decent-but-unexceptional album-closing ballad with slightly nasal vocals that, perhaps, suggests that the band's sound is better suited to the guitar-driven alt rock numbers that fill the rest of the disc.

With The Everlasting Shame, Die Symphony have managed to release a great alt rock album that outshines many of their major label peers in songwriting, performance, and production. It certainly proves that the band's reputation and success are well deserved. Fans of radio-friendly alt rock should definitely make every effort to check this one out. Just be prepared for the band's catchy hooks to take up permanent residence in both your CD player and your head.