Penumbra

Penumbra provides three definitions for its name in the packaging to Five Side Square, the most apt of which is “the border between shadow and light.” This group lives at the intersection of dark metal riffage and gleaming pop polish, solidifying its spot with pristine production and immaculate instrumentation. Like Alice in Chains without the oppressive depression and harrowing heroin tales, Penumbra’s harmonies sprawl out at a lethargic pace. The music slowly establishes rhythmic patterns between verses and choruses, refusing to fill every space with words or squealing solos. That approach works well during the disc’s concise opening tracks, which spotlight Mike Mazzarese’s stomping-mammoth drumbeats, but it loses steam during the eight-minute would-be epic “On the Inside.” The song doesn’t drag — it actually seems much shorter than it is — but it’s utterly unmemorable, lacking the type of dramatic dirge-to-din progression that would justify the running time. And the album’s piano introduction, though appealing on its own merits, accomplishes little other than sabotaging the airplay potential of the catchy power-grunge track to which it’s attached. Five Side Square reveals a conflicted band that can’t decide whether to embrace its bright, radio-ready future or pursue nebulous artistic diversions.