Italian dudes SIX-POINT LEAD made us notice what they were up to with their debut EP back in '11, their mix of solid, beefy, metallic hardcore and melodic death metal intriguing and hanging out just this side of problematic. And while I still have a hell of a time remembering their name, they've definitely been working on their craft, particularly in the songwriting department, shedding the hardcore vibe that their EP had and diving into both melodic death and a more shocking radio-ready modern rock edge. 'Pitch Black' shows the band's acoustic side (just a bit, don't worry; late-album instrumental 'The Road Not Taken' is a classy full-blown acoustic bit) with what is essentially a modern rock radio tune. It works, if that's yer bag. Then 'Dissolve Me' shows that should SOILWORK ever fall from their throne, this band might step up before any of the obvious contenders. 'Respect' is one of those full-speed thrashers with just enough melody and razor-wire riffing to keep the Gothenburgers excited, as is the very cool 'Together We'll Rot'. There's a solid production sound here, great songwriting, dynamics, veering towards a nu sound, but just heavy enough to keep it palatable. At 58 minutes, however, this thing is just too long; a good 20 minutes could be shaved off for a more powerful listening experience. But, hey, we're happy: we said we hoped they incorporated some new and different sounds after their EP, and they did, with success.