Soils new frontman, A.J. Cavalier, boasts a larger range of influences than his predecessor. He also doesnt whine as much. On the Chicago bands latest album, True Self, metallic crunch gives way to melodic momentum and the occasional dinosaur-sized stomp. The Last Chance, Forever Dead, and Threw It Away struggle with defeat, but theyre not going down without a fight. Tourmates Ligion chart a similar path on their debut CD, External Affairs. The Nashville-based rockers toss back traditional blue-collar rock with a shot of Southern attitude. Dont let cuts like Weak (the Internal War) and For You fool you. These guys are bulldozing badasses without a care in the world.
Fri., May 4, 7 p.m.