Future of the Left is essentially the late, lamented Welsh trio McLusky reborn with a new bass player, a different name and a bit of keyboards in place of severe electric guitars on about half of the tunes. Aside from those changes, the appeal of the two groups is mostly the same, and primarily focused on the way frontman Andy Falkous delivers his every caustic, cryptic lyric with a venomous, hectoring snarl that ranks among the very best in the history of punk rock. The blunt force of Falkous' personality would be enough to make any of their songs seem heavy, but both groups back him up with brutal riffs and dynamic beats that lend his mysterious tirades a grace that is at odds with the savage nature of the music.

The Brooklyn-based trio Parts and Labor write anthemic pop-punk tunes, but replace the standard textures and dynamics of the genre with warped keyboards, severe homemade electronic effects and wild, inventive drumming. "Fractured Skies," the lead track from their second album "Mapmaker" kicks off with a rapid, busy hardcore beat and harsh metallic screeches. The song then builds to a dramatic peak with triumphant horns and a melodic chorus that brings a touch of beauty to the intense, chaotic sound of the arrangement.

It should come as no surprise that A Place To Bury Strangers' Oliver Ackermann makes his living by building customized distortion pedals for guitars. Every song on the group's self-titled debut is built upon a wall of distinct, super-loud distortion that sounds twice as sharp and abrasive as that of the average rock band. As noisy as the record gets, it doesn't come close to capturing the sonic attack of their live show. The studio recordings contrast the fuzz with sleek electronic rhythms that resemble the sinister grooves of late '80s Depeche Mode, or early Nine Inch Nails. "To Fix The Gash In Your Head" buries Ackermann's voice beneath waves of white noise, electronic buzzes and hammering beats without sacrificing the simple hook at the heart of the piece.