On their 10-song album, This Life, Raleigh, North Carolina four-piece Astor's Cane play pure, unadulterated hard rock, or as they prefer to describe it on their website (www.astorscane.com), "hard hitting radio friendly rock 'n' roll."

The band's sound is comparable to alternative rock outfits like Alice In Chains or Puddle Of Mudd with a Southern edge to it. Their music has no hints of passing trends, but rather just features all the elements of traditional, time-tested rock. The production quality is quite good as well, as the guitars of Matt Crain and Johnny Orr sound lucent, Miller Barefoot's bass has a nice lean tone, James Floyt's drumming is crisp and spot-on, and Orr's vocals come through the mix strong and clean.

Some of the best offerings include "See You There," which has a wonderful riff and the tough rocker "This Life." "3" is pretty heavy, features a mean guitar solo, and is accentuated by the dual vocal harmony. These harmonies are also prevalent on songs such as the rather subdued "Alone" and during the powerful chorus of the ballad-like "Pool," which features serene vocals and understated guitars. Orr really gets to show off his vocal range on this track. "Returning Home" also features quite intense, emotional vocals. This song begins as a sedate acoustic piece, but then picks up some momentum during the chorus, reverting to the subtler, more muted sound once again for the next verse.

"The Play," which is slow and tranquil, features heartfelt lyrics, as memories of a pained childhood due to parents' fighting is recounted: "I'm tired of all the fighting/And sick of all the hate/Daddy just you and me together/We'll get out of this place." Likewise, the finale, the acoustic "Broken," has soft, emotional vocals: "Why won't they look at me/They pretend that I'm not even there/What do they think of me?" Astor's Cane is able to successfully mix up their sound on the disc - some songs are quite heavy, while on others, like these last two, they can play a slower, calmer style as well. All in all, this is an impressive rock album. Their new full-length should be released later this year, so keep an eye out for it (Hathead).