Multi-Faceted Rap/Rock

The rap/rock musical genre is a minefield full of established bands just waiting to blame newcomers for copying their style.

Fortunately, the members of Chronic Future skillfully tiptoe around the threat of explosion on their new album "Lines in my Face," the band's fourth release.

"Time and Time Again," introduces the album with vivacious vocal beats and a lot of splashing cymbals driving the song rather than bass. An initially poppy chorus breaks away when Mike Busse, the band's MC, emphasizes the softly spoken words with his screams.

The album is full of offbeat rhythms and infectious guitar riffs that beg any listener to bust out their air guitar. Busse often sounds like Eminem, but looks to the other members of Chronic Future to help him sidestep the stereotype.

"Shellshocked" features a romantic lyrical introduction, but dodges sounding like Hoobastank by utilizing razor-sharp lyrics.

"I don't care what I'm doing that's turning you off of me/ It's my care for pursuing our friendship responsibly," Busse raps on "Shellshocked."

The songwriting features verses with valid meaning, but then disappoints with clich?(c)d choruses.

"Where are we going?/ I don't know anymore/ I'll just continue to circle, why?/ It's comfortable doing what's been done before," sings Busse during the chorus of "World Keeps Spinning (A Chronic Future)."

"Static on the Radio" is the highpoint of the album. The track features friendly melodies and the band takes on the personality of a playful but testosterone-filled version of the Foo Fighters. The lyrics direct a high-powered magnifying glass at the science of songwriting.

"What is it that makes artists feel that lack of focus is appropriate, and is accepted as an art form? Please wake up," Busse pleads on "Static on the Radio."

Chronic Future takes features of Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine, 311, Incubus, and Alien Ant Farm and combines them to create their own sound. Tired choruses are the only aspect of "Lines in my Face" that suffer, as they shy away from the scathing, socially conscious writing that makes up the verses.