Onyx [Extended European Edition]

Released in 2011, War of Angels found hard-hitting, Western Michigan-based rockers Pop Evil delivering a solid slab of AOR rock UFC anthems that explored the notion of reinvention. Pop Evil continue to mine the rap/alt-rock/post-grunge sonic blast of the late '90s/early 2000s with dizzying results on their third album, Onyx, which was produced by Johnny K (Drowning Pool, Staind, Disturbed, Megadeth). The band offers up ten relentless new songs, including the blistering single "Trenches," that manage to introduce darker themes and clever stylistic shifts into the mix while maintaining the gritty yet accessible Midwestern backbone that won Pop Evil favor with the hard rock community in the first place.