The Casting Out is the new band of Nathan Gray, the ex-singer of Boysetsfire. I wasnt a big Boysetsfire fan, but the Casting Out really don't sound like BSF, and for me it's a really good thing.

Boysetsfire was a political, kind of hardcore band, but what the Casting Out offer here on their first full-length is no political hardcore stuff. With lyrics dealing with personal struggle and experiences, we're far from there, but in this case, it's better that way. One of my favorite lyrical moments is from opener "Quixote's Last Ride":

Don't look to me for sympathy
Everybody knows it's not so damn easy
You've got to bleed a little every day
And let the memories fade
Fuck hope, signed me''

There's a really good balance of fast, more punk rock songs like "Walk Away" and pop-punk songs like "These Alterations." One thing that draws your attention is how good the guitar work is here. Even on the poppiest track, there's always a little solo or an interesting riff and it's different on each song.

This is not your typical pop-punk record -- the songs are all good, with some better than others, and musically, it's always interesting. The ballad ''The Ebbing of the Tide'' might be a little boring at the beginning but the end is epic as hell.
This is what pop-punk should be. It's catchy, it's fast, the guitars are great and the vocals fit the music perfectly. The lyrics are personal but never clichéd or whiny. So if you're looking for non-commercial pop-punk and you like harder things like Dag Nasty and Bouncing Souls, give this band a listen; you won't regret it.