White Noise (Anniversary Edition)

On their debut White Noise, PVRIS shed the shackles of their early metalcore sound and created dark pop for the Warped crowd. By combining the empowering and energetic spirit of Paramore -- one of vocalist Lynn Gunn's biggest influences -- with contemporaneous sounds from indie-synth bands like Chvrches and Vaults, the Lowell, Massachusetts, trio created a darkly addictive sound fit for both dancing and moshing. Album standouts like the joyful "St. Patrick" and the propulsive "My House" employ synth stabs and dramatic atmospherics from producer Blake Harnage, while Chris Kamrada's strong drumming and Alex Babinski's jagged riffs send clear reminders that PVRIS can rock. Along with Brian MacDonald's elastic basslines, the band effortlessly bring the melody and the power, like on the appropriately-titled "Fire." Much like some of rock's most iconic female-fronted bands, PVRIS benefits from their singer's charisma and song presence. Gunn's lyrics and vocal delivery are the most engaging aspects of White Noise: conveying aggression, seething frustration, and desperation, she commands each song just as well as her idol Hayley Williams. On "Holy," she calls out an intolerant bigot for judging her coming out as gay, employing jabs against religious hypocrisy with the ghostly imagery that floats throughout the album. The title track drips with yearning as Gunn cries out "I'm aching, suffocating" to a lost love, singing through muffled static to convey her pain. Aside from the Paramore-meets-Chvrches gems that populate most of the album, White Noise surprises with "Mirrors," a big-beat pop number that cracks like Sleigh Bells, and the atmospheric swirl of "Eyelids." This is one of those albums where each song could be a single -- a non-greatest hits Greatest Hits collection -- which makes it all the more impressive for a debut from a young band. PVRIS' roots may be in pop-punk and hardcore, but they set their sights on wider domination with White Noise. ~ Neil Z. Yeung