By Susie Salva

One of the most dynamic metal-inflected punk band The Offspring has put out and engaging and powerful release, “Rise And Fall Rage And Grace,” on Columbia Records. With Dexter Holland’s most recognizable voice in the business the band puts forth sonically ingrained tunes with an edgy, hard-driving heavy-metal band merging punk rock influences and their precise, pulsing power chords causing them to stand out from the rest.

Produced by veteran rock producer Bob Rock this new release runs the gamut of alt. rock from straight-ahead punk to heavy-metal sounds including two power ballads some bands in this vain have strayed away from. The Offspring features Holland on vocals, guitarist, Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman, bassist Greg Kriesel, and drummer Ron Welty.

The Offspring began their career as an indie rock act putting out the release of the self-titled debut album in 1989. By the late nineties the band moved to Epitaph Records and there after a bidding war ensued and then the band was retained by Columbia Records in 1996. The move was particularly controversial within the punk community causing some of the bands loyal fans to abandon ship.

Now in 2008 after several delays the band has returned with its first studio release in four and a half years releasing the highly anticipated release, “Rise And Fall Rage And Grace,” on Columbia Records. The new CD will have legions of old fans flocking back to the band.

The first track on the disc, “Half-Truism,” is punk influenced, an up tempo broken down melodic rousing track. “Trust In You,” follows with a hard driving insane guitar riff and frantic drumming with a slamming bass line courtesy of Kriesel. The bands first single of ’09 is the melodic, “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid,” with its catchy chorus that fans have found to define the band.

“Hammerhead,” has a heavy-metal grind shifting the sound of that from the Ramones meets the Kinks vibe. The introspection of “Take Me Nowhere,” and the infectious, “Nothingtown,” rounds out the disc. The band also offers some sentimental and stripped down versions about first love and the healing powers of a relationship on the following tracks, “Kristy, Are You Okay,” and “Fix You,” capitalizing on the sounds of U2.

The last two tracks “Let’s Hear It For Rock Bottom,” has a reggae vibe with power chords dealing with isolation and revelation finishing off with “Rise And Fall.”

This record offers a lot and definitely delivers the goods. New fans and old will embrace this album and it doesn’t disappoint. It was well worth the wait for them to get it right and so they did. For more on Offspring please go to www.offspring.com.