So Cal outfit Stellar burst onto the scene with their first full-length, a blistering assortment of energy and ambition wrapped into eight energetic tracks. Unable to be pinned down by any single genre label, Stellar most closely adopts the emo sound popular with the beach-culture bands of the region, but keeps its sound fresh with a constant refusal to be pigeonholed.

Drown the Sun starts off with its title track, a churn of guitars announcing the arrival of one of the most talented local bands around. Lyrics speak to the indecision and invincibility of youth, lead singer Michael Foster’s energetic shout propelled along by the vocal accompaniments of his band members. “Cellophane Skies” sarcastically blasts out an angered attack against authority: “You know you can’t escape/be a good boy.” “Cut Me Bleeding’s” despondent chorus of “I’m sorry/I’m sorry now” expertly captures the angst of numetal without the genre’s hackneyed instrumentalism.

“Amnesia” is another album highlight, Jaysin Sheahan’s heavy guitarwork channeling the dynamism of The Cult. Foster sings of forgotten love and lingering feeling: “So I touch the scars upon my face/the scars that die/just can’t replace” as multiple guitars and a propellant drum line amplify his cries.

While Stellar does occasionally surrender to the clichés of quiet/loud dynamics and the ever-popular seething whisper, Drown the Sun’s constant reinvention keeps the music fresh for any listener (save the monotonous “Stitches,” which repeats the phrase “the stitches are what’s left of me” or some slight variation thereof some thirty times).

Far and away the best work on the album, “El Nada” masterfully wraps up Drown the Sun with its heartfelt lyrics and slow balladic tones. Utilizing vocal distortion reminiscent of Eiffel 65 over a lilting, soft techno track that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Moby record, the song artfully captures the longing of youth for love. “I think about all the times that we had before the days got longer and your heart grew colder.” Foster’s pained falsetto almost raps the words of loss and desire, tranquil synthesizers underscoring the quavering of his voice. It’s work like this that proves Stellar is a band to look out for.