Long Island alternative metal troupe Tragic Orange remember the time when melodic hard rock bands didn’t deprive the music of its balls by watering down their output with sappy ballads. Firing on all cylinders while implementing the old school attitude into their modern metal paradigm, this unit isn’t just another MTV-fed mall rock band despite prominently showcasing those influences. Coming off as a mixture of Our Lady Peace, Taproot and Chevelle, this unit’s eponymous debut showcases a band whose sweeping choruses and hard as nails hard rock histrionics sound ready for extreme sports soundtracks and WWE pay per views on cuts like “Pure and Simple”. Yet the durability of the band’s powerhouse rhythm section, who smoothly steer the disc through trouble spots while accentuating the album overall with a sparkling array of deep bass grooves and lush yet driving percussion, sets Tragic Orange in a good position to jump onto the radar somewhere between Staind and A Perfect Circle.www.tragicorange.com –Mike SOS