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There's something genuinely interesting about (hed) Planet Earth. Rather than simply singing about being different, they actually attempt to break from convention. That spirit is what makes Blackout a fascinating album. Though nearly all the 14 tracks kick off into a metal frenzy at some point, they're wildly varied in their pace and feel. "Crazy Life," begins with sinister Wu-Tang keyboards, then rips into a raucous chorus, before a hard-hitting rap about sex on the road leads to a screaming rock crescendo. "Flesh and Bone" features vocalist Jahred conjuring lost souls at midnight crossroads, while the shuffling "Other Side" is cushioned by a soft 1970s haze. Elsewhere pop, soul, reggae, and folk slip into the mix, making the band's histrionic outbursts all the more effective. Jahred's lyrics, too, are above the norm, if a bit too self-focused. --Dominic Wills