Maylene & the Sons of Disaster

The music of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, a theoretically Christian band formed in 2004 by ousted Underoath vocalist Dallas Taylor, is a huge stylistic progression from his former band. Maylene's powerful brand of metalcore adds Southern-rock tinges, banjo and fiddle to the fray, while keeping the preaching to a minimum. The band's latest album, III, features an almost entirely new lineup — including two more ex-members of Underoath, guitarist Kelly Scott Nunn and drummer Matt Clark, and impressive music: "Step Up (I'm On It)" and "The Old Iron Hills" deliver swaggering hard-rock grooves, while "Oh Lonely Grave" alternates between mournful, Skynyrd-esque balladry and roaring metal.