The sound of Death by Stereo can be broken down into chunks of hugeness: testosterone-soaked drums, towering squalls of guitar, massive bottom end, and caterwauling vocals that sound like they were ripped straight from the guts of a beast named Fury. It"s not your typical punk rock, primarily because the band has a uniquely sharp edge. This Southern California-based five-piece keeps it slightly metal (more Judas Priest than Mötley Crüe), making it OK for the boys to create winning cuts with could"ve-been-train-wreck titles like "Porno, Sex, Drugs, Lies, Money, and Your Local Government" and "Death for Life." Day of the Death, the group"s second release overall and first for Epitaph, is a first-class speaker-shaking delight. --Jason Josephes