It's one of the harsh truths of life that not everyone can be be groundbreaking and revolutionary. Sometimes a band has to settle for merely being very good at what they do. Colorado-based sextet Vaux are one of those bands.

In their case, frenzied and melodic emo-tinged hardcore is the area of expertise. Vocalist Quentin Smith has all the anger you'd expect from someone who's grown up being called Quentin, and the triple guitar assault is relentless. Opener 'Set It To Blow' outlines the approach perfectly - pained howling from Smith, screeching guitars, and the drums hammering away incessantly, but never so much that it hurts. Thus it continues, pausing every now and then to seduce you with a more contemplative melody. 'At Your Will' is one such gem, beginning with near-silence and swelling to a resounding crescendo.

In other news, 'Paint It Red' and 'On Love and Cars' are pop songs in emo clothing, the hooks half-buried under crunchy guitars and asthma-attack vocals. It may be hardcore-lite at times but it's highly listenable all the same. As long as you go in knowing that your mind won't be blown apart and your musical world is going to remain very much intact, there's little to complain about here.