On a Search in America

Sounds like … the raucous vocals and spirit of Blindside, the emotiveness of Taking Back Sunday and Story of the Year, and a bit of the chaos of Rage Against the Machine.At a glance … though the heart-on-sleeve lyricism is a bit disjointed and youthful, Dizmas plays its sonic cards right for a satisfying, if somewhat too earnest, debut.Track Listing Revolution Controversy Riots and Violence Let This One Stay Redemption, Passion, Glory Party of Noise Time Well Spent So Long My Friends Saturday Night Divine

Already semi-popular on fan sites Purevolume.com and MySpace.com, Dizmas is the first outfit in the new Credential Recordings imprint, an offshoot of the EMI Christian Music Group. Named after Dismas, the patron saint of criminals and prisoners, this hardcore quintet comes out of nowhere with their ambitious national debut, On a Search in America.

Though the hard-edged guitars and the high-pitched squeals of opener "Revolution" might resemble heavy metal or hardcore, Dizmas would be better served with the term "post hardcore" or "emo-core," as the songs move beyond the simple riffage and pulsating rhythm sections oft-associated with hardcore. Despite the feline shrieks of vocalist Zach Zegan—who often sounds remarkably like Blindside's Christian Lindskog—the group actually adopts a variety of sonic settings, from emo ("Riots and Violence") and the swaying alterna-crunch of Chevelle ("Party of Noise") to multi-movement anthems ("Let This One Stay") and pensive rock balladry ("Redemption, Passion, Glory"). That balladry sets the pace for a sound that's chaotic yet contained.

If only the lyrics retained some of this control. The group is straightforward about its mission and message, clearly stating that all glory belongs to God. But the lyrics alone don't distinguish them from, say, youth group staples Audio Adrenaline or the recently disbanded Pax217. (Look no further than their decision to rhyme the word "answer" with "cancer," as they do on "Let This One Stay.") Fortunately, this is offset by the soundtrack, the band's forté. Here's hoping their penmanship will someday follow suit.