It was to no surprise that after the lackluster attempt at jumping the shark that A Static Lullaby made on their last album "Faso Latido" that some hard lessons were in order. Those lessons didn't take long to arrive either with a lack of commercial success and critical praise, both of which equaled the dissolution of their major label deal with Columbia. But that was not all the band had to weather as not one, but three members exited the band (vocalist Joe Brown and guitarist/vocalist Dan Arnold both stayed onboard.)

As it usually goes in this corner of the music business, replacements were found and the group have soldiered on, this time with Fearless footing the bill. Luckily enough for Fearless though, much of this outing marks a return to the bands earlier screamo days, with edgy aggressive guitars, melody-driven songs and the expected splashes of emo meandering all accounted for. The songwriting has definitely broadened though as the group proudly show off a more complex and rewarding mixture of layered choruses and screams vs. croons.

Still, for as much of a return to form as this album is, it's hard not to see it echoing the current leaders of the commercial screamo movement. In the way of innovation this outing just doesn't offer more than a baby step ahead of what any "Alternative Press" subscriber has been listening to for the past two years. For as developed and resilient as A Static Lullaby have become, their fiery energy just isn't enough to put them in the lead anymore. Sure their instrumentation is more varied and explosive than most, but with it tucked away in the same old screaming emocore format, it's barely worth it to pay attention to it.