Sweden's SONIC SYNDICATE began as a solid, respectable Melodic Death Metal outfit, drawing influences from the cream of the Gothenburg crop and straining them into a fruity Metal martini of a decidedly Modern flavor. Whether you loved or hated their hard-rocking brand of mainstream music, there was little doubt that they knew their sound and played it to the hilt. Then came their recent offering "We Rule The Night," which - as you may have already read elsewhere in METALEATER - seemed to signal a premature falling of these rapidly rising stars. The bloated overreliance on their signature backing synths and the disturbingly sappy flamboyance of the vocal performances confirmed SONIC SYNDICATE's one-way ticket to the graveyard where cookie-cutter Emo bands are buried - once they've destroyed all their credibility with metalheads and failed to keep pace with their young fans' short attention spans. There but for the grace of God go RAUNCHY.

Hailing from Denmark and sporting somewhat different influences (FEAR FACTORY and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD among them), RAUNCHY are admittedly another case altogether, but the familiar star-making ingredients are nevertheless there. Since 2002, this gifted sextet have been cranking out release after release of expertly crafted Modern Metal - a perfect blend of Power Groove, Industrial, and Thrash, steeped in melodic Euro synth-pop and dynamic vocals. Given this winning recipe, it's a miracle these master chefs haven't gotten cocky and served up a repellant dish of ambitious pop-star arrogance. A miracle their latest album "A Discord Electric" duly confirms, with plenty of suspense, excitement, and surprises along the way.

On this release, RAUNCHY shake things up by deviating from the subtle structural formula they established on their four previous efforts. Rather than wallop you with a mean crowbar of an opening track, they instead elect to tickle you with a soft down feather (seriously, that's not as homoerotic as it sounds) in the form of the soaring "Dim The Lights And Run". Following that spirited warm-up, they proceed to unleash track after track of crunching, mid-tempo grooves ready-made for the dance floor. Just when you thought RAUNCHY had exhausted their musical ideas, they blindside you with a furious Thrasher ("Tiger Crown") followed by what can only be described as a pure Pop Rock song ("Big Truth"). While many self-respecting Metalheads may be puzzled - or worse - by this song, the sly artistry of its insertion into the track list only further highlights RAUNCHY's versatility and skill at stirring genres with nary a rogue ingredient lingering on the palate. "Big Truth" is merely a clever nod to the core of the band's melodic sensibilities, bravely stripped bare for all to see. In that sense, it recalls ANNIHILATOR's comparable Pop forays on their controversial 1993 release "Set The World On Fire." And finally, any fears for RAUNCHY's Metal bona fides are erased in short order, for the speediest and most aggressive tracks on "A Discord Electric" all reside on the last third of the album. Avoiding the all-too-common practice of expending too much energy right out of the gate, the band opt to pace themselves, innocently playing with sparklers and Roman Candles before turning to the main fireworks display. And when they do, they leave you breathless. It's a calculated, fiendish, brilliant move.

For better or worse, METALLICA's "Black Album" will forever be utilized as a metaphorical yardstick by which a band's allegiance (or lack thereof) to its beloved roots can be measured. By that standard, despite some close calls and false alarms (which seem a little too self-aware and tongue-in-cheek to be dismissed as "mistakes"), RAUNCHY remain safely on the side of the angels with "A Discord Electric", which proves that their unique sound lends itself quite smoothly to experimentation and growth without running off the rails. This album is pure fun from start to finish, and while its abundance of sugar might leave some listeners with a nasty toothache, there is no denying its infectious sweetness. In fact, such stock clichés as "infectious" or "catchy" do not do this band justice. Their charismatic, hit-making songwriting, and their near-ridiculous heaviness to boot, combine to form a model that flies in the face of all our conventional wisdom of what Metal is and ought to be. Only one adjective can hope to suffice: SEXY.