Hardcore punk, post-hardcore, hardcore metal...it's getting increasingly difficult to identify what group belongs to which subgenre circa the early 21st century -- a case in point being the St. Catharines, Ontario-based quintet
Alexisonfire. On their fourth full length overall, 2009's
Old Crows/Young Cardinals, you get a bit of all three aforementioned styles, with a healthy dose of melody stirred into the sonic blender to boot. And this hodgepodge approach should certainly bring
Alexisonfire some U.S. rock radio airplay (they already scored their breakthrough hit back home on their previous album, 2006's
Crisis), especially such standout tracks as the leadoff single, "Young Cardinals," as well as the album-opening "Old Crows," "The Northern," and the surprisingly tranquil and sweetly sung album closer, "Burial." ~ Greg Prato