Panthers

For their third full-length record, the Panthers deliver a robust collection of speaker bruising songs. The Trick, a follow-up to 2004’s Things Are Strange, pulses with the rumble of Black Sabbath-like riffs on opener "Goblin City,” setting the tone for the propulsive disc. Along with Jayson Green, Geoff Garlock and Jeff Salane, all former members of hardcore act Orchid, the group also includes Justin Chearno, formerly of elastic guitar champions Pitchblende and also currently with Turing Machine. The Panthers, however, stray far from their musicians’ other endeavours, and their latest disc finds them lurking much closer to stoner rock territory. There’s also a good dose of MC5 filtered through the Hellacopters on a song such as "Long Time Coming.” With its muscular arrangements, The Trick shows the Panthers offering another well-crafted and energetic album. (Vice, www.vicerecords.com) Rob Nay