Chevelle's music heaviest yet

Chevelle has seen a boom of popularity, especially with the success of its current single, "The Red." The band's latest album, "Wonder What's Next," was released in October and since then, MTV and MTV2 have supported the video for "The Red." The song is also playing on rock radio stations across the country.

Its previous album, "Point #1," was successful with the song "Open/Point #1." But "Wonder What's Next" is a much darker, harder album. The "sophomore slump" is almost becoming an extinct term because so many bands like Chevelle have turned pressure and stress into pure songcraft.

But the Christian band hasn't happened on good times. Switching record companies from Squint to Epic resulted in personal problems and album delays. Perhaps the biggest test to Chevelle is that its members are all brothers. The album's opener, "Family System," sheds light on the band of brothers, proclaiming "Just grow up" along with the heaviest riffs the band has ever offered.

"Send the Pain Below" reiterates the darker theme the album carries with lines such as "much like suffocating" used to describe emotion.

"The Red" and the title track carry a certain helplessness in the lyrics. "An Evening with El Diablo" depicts a mental battle with the devil.

Chevelle's music is not laden with verbose songs and easy interpretations. The music, heavier than ever, appears to always come first, and whatever emotion could not be conveyed is left to be perfected by the lyrics.

Perhaps the Christian band's mainstream success comes in metaphorical lyrics. Listeners are able to attach themselves to the music through whatever emotions they interpret for themselves.