We Are Not Alone

We Are Not Alone

• Shrink-wrapped

All sharp hooks and hefty beats, <i>We Are Not Alone</i> starts off with the Middle Eastern melody of the roaring lead single "So Cold," a riff-heavy track that showcases the fretwork of guitarist Aaron Fink, an expressive guitarist with a flair for both color and crunch. Employing a palette of quirky pedal effects, distorted textures and throttled power chords, he amplifies the emotion in each song, be it the confrontational rage in "Believe" or the sweeping emotional plea of "Break My Fall." "Aaron really stepped up on this record," says vocalist/guitarist Ben Burnely. "He's not so much a riff guy as someone who creates atmosphere. His talents really shine through here."<P></p>The perfectly paced album is anchored by the propelling rhythms of drums and bass as well as being driven by Burnley, who brings each melody to life with a voice that's both graceful ("Rain") and Godzillian ("Away"). He soars over the mile-high chorus of "Follow," delivering the insistent hook with unbridled passion and grit. "Touring helped develop my singing ability and allowed me to try new things on this record," he says. "It gave me a sense of confidence that was really liberating."<P></p>The band credit producer David Bendeth for the album's adventurous spirit, saying that he encouraged them to reach higher by digging deeper. "David has a great ear and helped pull better performances out of us," says Fink. "He also added a lot of flavor to the record. Unlike the first album, which was all bass, drums and guitar, this record is filled with all sorts of tasty ear candy. It's definitely headphones-worthy."