The Appleseed Cast

Rarely does a band continue to adjust its vision in more creative ways than the Appleseed Cast. After growing out of the confining emo genre, this Kansas-based quartet continues to tackle innovative sounds and arrangements on their dense and satisfying new effort, Peregrine. Sporting yet another new drummer, the band expands on the space rock and electronica themes that were cleverly abundant on 2003's Two Conversations. Many tracks, such as "Woodland Hunter (Part 1)" and "An Orange and a Blue" are even denser slabs of twisted influences, more akin to Sonic Youth than Radiohead. Singer-guitarist Christopher Crisci skillfully weaves his tortured tales and punk influenced riffing into the band's distorted roar, creating a heady mess, a swirling, abrasive treat for the adventurous.