Struck By Lightning

One can tell that Columbus, OH's Struck By Lightning are striving to sound like a crossover between the current appeal of technical, grind-y metal and old school hardcore. With debut effort Serpents, they deliver more of the latter, primarily in the vein of '90s hardcore, around when Hatebreed were still considered to be doing something different. From the detuned, churning rhythms and raspy vocals to the Sick Of It All-influenced choruses that border on chant-alongs, without actually achieving them, they've got that era pinned down. Call them a modern Tragedy, or even His Hero Is Gone, with more nostalgia than inventiveness. Still, it creates a rather intriguing album when the band don't go off on one of those Linkin Park-ish, croon-y bouts. And they do happen here and there. Unsurprising, yet somewhat appealing for its vague familiarity, Serpents is a passable diversion from the norm in today's metal/hardcore hybrid sub-genre.