Roadrunner "The Serpent" - Still Remains

Kinda an interesting one from these God fearin' Grand Rapids kids. There probably should have been an album between this and "Of Love and Lunacy" to cushion the metalcore kids' surprise. See, amidst the raging firepower of "The Wax Walls Of An Empty Room" and "Anemia In Your Sheets", you get "Dancing With The Enemy" which might as well be a Killers single. Add to that the modern rock aspiring "Stay Captive" as well as more than a few moments of quiet din a few Radiohead-like builds and a peppering of Isis-y drone.
Confusing? A bit.
That said, "The Serpent" is mostly pretty damn boss in its twists and turns. TJ Miller emerges a vastly stronger and more passionate vocalist than expected. His vocalizing cohort Mike Church is silky smooth when called upon. Still it's the TJ show here: the likes of "Dropped From The Cherry Tree" is full of requisite snarl and growl. Album closer "Avalanche" makes all the pretty stuff go away as the album ends with the sort of heaviness you're dying for from the start of things.
Damn shame Still Remains called it a day after this one. Sure this serpent led 'em astray into sonic temptation. Got a feeling with one more record they would have made it right with The Lord.