The Panic Division: 'Eternalism'

The Panic Division's first album since the Sleepwalker EP (2009) feels like a second Colton Holliday solo album in its continuation of a mix he's grown comfortable with: synth-rock, layers and layers of guitars, strong hooks and melodies, and that type of sweet darkness Interpol is — or used to be — good at. While Holliday played virtually every instrument on the album, he did it with a band format in mind, pulling it off beautifully. Lyrically, Holliday writes from his guts, touching upon love lost and found and love yet-to-come. Though far from original, the band's strengths include a rare talent for great execution and attention to detail: the album was mixed in London by Ralph Jezzard (EMF, the Damned, Grand Theft Audio) and sounds like it. The CD's gorgeous package was designed by Holliday himself (he also designed the equally impressive package of Memory of a Melody's 2011 debut). But this isn't about the externals — this is a strong return by a band that's literally coming back home to its roots and still has plenty of ammunition to keep going.

★★★ ½ (out of 5 stars)