The Lobo threesome

Static-X

Cannibal

Available Now

There are some things in life that you can't just kind of like - modern art, the opera or Sanjaya Malakar - you either love 'em or hate 'em. The same holds true for metal music - either you revere it the first time you hear it, or you refuse to accept it as a credible musical form. For those of you who fall into the first category, please keep in mind that I, for the larger part of my tween and early teen years, fervently bought every collectible N'Sync postcard and, subsequently, am not a giant fan of heavy metal. Moving on, Cannibal provides the usual dose of heavy guitar riffs, inhumanly fast drumbeats and brusque vocals. However, on several tracks, such as "Behemoth," "Chroma-Matic," "Cuts You Up" and, expectedly, "Electric Pulse," there is an electronic motif. Experimenting with another genre of music shows the progression of Static-X as a band and its willingness to expand its sound. But the bottom line is this: If you aren't already a fan of Static-X and the whole metal genre, don't expect Cannibal to convert you.

If you like this music, you might also enjoy:

Vena Sera - Chevelle

The Blackening - Machine Head

Threads of Life - Shadows Fall

MC Frontalot

Secrets From the Future

Available Now

Imagine if Tupac rapped about the physics behind how his gun works, or if Snoop Dogg gave the exponential decay function for his blood-alcohol level after he had been sippin' on gin and juice. Well, math and science majors rejoice - there's a hip-hop genre for you. MC Frontalot, aka Damian Hess, is gaining popularity under the hip-hop sect he dubbed nerdcore. Clad in a shirt and tie, thick black-rimmed glasses and requisite pocket protector, MC Frontalot gives street cred to things like file encryption, The Origin of Species, ping-pong and Asperger's syndrome. And if you've ever had to deal with those annoying telephone automatic voice processors, his two-minute skit about robots is hilarious. While you don't necessarily have to be one of those people who plays with Rubik's Cubes to enjoy nerdcore, you'll definitely appreciate it more if you are. With exceptional rhyme schemes about some of the more overlooked aspects of popular culture, Secrets From the Future gives the rest of us - the nerds, dorks, geeks and anyone else who has given the excuse, "I can't. I have calc homework" - a fresh form of hip-hop. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe "MythBusters" is on.

If you like this music, you might also enjoy:

Dungeon Master of Ceremonies -

MC Chris

Paullelujah! - MC Paul Barman

The Mouse and the Mask - DangerDoom

MàlÇe

Devils and Angels

Available Now

It's a guilty pleasure, and there's a part of us that likes it. Yes, I speak of superfluous pop music. If you're looking for the emo aspect of Dashboard Confessional, the piano of Keane and the good looks and harmonizing of a '90s boy band, MàlÇe is the love child of the aforementioned popish threesome. What it lacks in lyrical substance, it makes up for in polished beats. Although MàlÇe's songs about complicated relationships may appeal to those who are in them, and lyrics like, "Someone cries, and it washes the street with tears" may appeal to those in need of a Zoloft or two, it's just plain annoying after a while. There's no real hope for longevity with those themes once the focus audience matures or gets a date. However, I will be the first to admit the songs are darn catchy. The combination of guitar, piano and drums makes for a musically pleasing trio. But with the cancellation of "The O.C." and "Scrubs" in its penultimate season, where will bands like MàlÇe and their overdramatic crooning go, other than by the wayside?

If you like this music, you might also enjoy:

Traffic and Weather - Fountains of Wayne

A Different Light - Sherwood

Southern Weather - Almost