iSound

Alabaster is just a bunch of pop mongrels with a mainstream sound loading the stereo waves with female fronted pop-punk. Although in Seattle now, they originally hail from the great city of Chicago. Alabaster pays tribute to both cities with their raw sound, and indie attitude. This sextet lives up to its pop-punk sensibilities with saccharine hooks, crunchy-driven riffs, and classic, fist-pumping drum work. The group radiates consistency, a cohesive band who knows what they want, and how to perform well together, which can be a challenge for a large group with such a wall of sound.

As for their tunes, those who love the perfectly executed mix of lyrical melodies with a dash of guttural screams will find Alabaster an epic win. Their style is reminiscent of Elastica, an adrenalized L7 beating up on Paramore, with a Greenday / The Gits split. On their new release, "The Diary I Should of Burned…" all of the songs are loaded with intense builds, stops and starts, that...