Metric ART OF DOUBT

After the synth-driven, very polished Pagans in Vegas, Metric returned with a more guitar-driven, rock & roll-centric approach on their seventh album, 2018's Art of Doubt. Metric have never been shy about shifting their sound, and each time they do their core strengths never fade. Emily Haines' powerful voice and evocative lyrics, their rock-solid rhythm section, and their ability to craft immediately hooky modern rock; these things are out in full force on Art of Doubt. This time, the guitar playing of James Shaw makes the leap to a starring role. He's been great at playing a supporting role on their last few albums, but here his slashing guitar lines, rippling fills, and atmospheric pedal work give the songs a sometime gritty, sometime spacy edge that harks back to the 2005 album Live It Out. To match his energy and fiery playing, the whole band sounds energized in a way it certainly wasn't on Pagans in Vegas. Songs like "Dark Saturday" and "Art of Doubt" are whip-smart rockers t