A punk/emo hybrid that is more punk than emo, This Is Exploding must put on an explosive live show. The vocalist screams a lot, but never fails to sound elegant, guitars run at a break neck speed, and the clever rhythm section holds it all together. This is slightly rougher than what passes for commercial punk rock these days, and that is a good thing. We could all use a little more grit with our angst, and This Is Exploding has just enough for a compelling album that doesn't sound like every cookie-cutter punk band out there.

Brad Filicky