Parkway Drive is a metalcore band hailing from Australia. The band is back with their sophomore release, Horizons, and ready to make an even bigger splash following its successful turn on Warped Tour.

Australia isn't known for their metal (or related genres) exports, Parkway Drive is doing their part to give the scene a kick-start. The only other band from the heavier end of the spectrum to make it big outside of Australia that I can think of is AC/DC and they aren't metal.

Anyway, Horizons is a strong album that is a step up from 2006's Killing with a Smile, but doesn't really cover any new ground. Fortunately, what ground it does cover is explored successfully and confidently. It is sure to get the pit churning as well.

For those of you who haven't heard of Parkway Drive, their unassuming name disguises a band that is chock full of blast beats, heavy breakdowns, and melodic twin guitars, all led by some lung destroying guttural screams.

In the past I have made it a point to comment on names that I thought were poor or odd, Parkway Drive is one that I think may do the band something of a disservice. I have not real problem with it, other than when I hear "Parkway Drive" fierce metalcore is not what comes to mind. Credit to the band for breaking down band name perceptions. Let this be a lesson to not judge a band by their name.

Horizons, like the band's debut CD, was produced by Adam Dutkiewicz, axe-man for metalcore leaders Killswitch Engage. Knowing that, you can hear some Killswitch in this band's sound. Of course, it is hard to be an up and coming metalcore act and not be compared to the leaders of the genre.

Now, it is not so much the music itself that sounds like Killswitch, but the great production values. This album is crisp, clear and very heavy. There is a nice balance between the instruments that is something to be applauded.

The album kicks off with the light instrumental intro called simply "Begin." Lasting less than a minute, this does not prepare you for when "The Siren's Song" kicks in full gear with lightning fast arpeggios leading into the full frontal assault of vocalist Winston McCall. The song is a perfect example of what the band is all about with plenty of speedy melodic guitars, purely growled vocals, and breakdowns that will have the most timid of concert goers ready to jump in the pit.