When it comes to veterans in the Christian rock scene, few names come up as frequently as San Diego based Switchfoot. Since Fading West in 2013, the band's releases have shied away from full-blown rock albums, though, leaning into more alternative (interrobang) and pop styles (Fading West and much of Native Tongue). Even with the rock songs they have done in recent years -- consider "Let It Happen" or "Last Man Standing," for example -- this reviewer would say that such efforts landed among the weaker songs the band has released. In light of such choices, some fans likely have wondered if Switchfoot would ever step back fully into the feel of an album like Nothing Is Sound or Hello Hurricane...

Anybody else feel like they're reliving their high school or college days? In a year that's seen the return of a variety of artists we haven't heard from in over a decade (like PFR or John Joseph James), Tree63 resurfaces as well with a new studio album, Voyage. Featuring the return of lead singer/songwriter John Ellis, the rest of the band is filled out by Deon Knipe on bass while Angus Warden pounds away at the drums. "Pounding away" is an apt description not just for Warden's work on the drums, but for the album's sound in general. If you expected watered-down pop/rock, you will be surprised to hear a rather robust British pop/rock sound reminiscent of acts like U2 or delirious?

The first half of the album sets the listener's expectations right off the bat with opener "Turn for Home." Filling the speakers with feedback from the guitar, followed by a meaty riff, the track goes on in a fun, bouncy manner, sweeping the listener into a fun experience. "Ambush" and the title track follow, adding a synth/'80s vibe to the mix. "Fire Goes On" and "Believe Anyway" round out Side A and feel the most...

August Burns Red has operated at a level most metalcore bands can only hope to aspire to, maintaining a technical precision, airtight musicianship, and an overarching catalog that rarely dips below "very good." Season of Surrender continues this tradition with typical ferocity, reinforcing why they've remained one of the genre's most dependable forces. Still, while everything here is undeniably well-executed, it occasionally feels like any attempt to push the boundaries too far is left to the expense of refinement and consistency.

From a purely instrumental standpoint, the band has not lost a step. JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler continue to weave a masterclass of complex riff patterns and shifting rhythms with surgical accuracy, and Matt Greiner's drumming remains the final boss of a drummer...