She Wants RevengeFlawless RecordsThree out of five stars

The band’s image isn’t the only thing that’s sleek about it; She Wants Revenge’s blend of humming electronica and goth-pop is sleeker than a polished handgun-and nearly as violent.

The angst buried beneath Revenge’s self-titled album’s calm surface oozes out inconspicuously in the form of industrial noises, dramatic lyrics and howling synths. You won’t know whether to dance or cry.

While the tracks on She Wants Revenge are emotionally loaded, the monotone, despondent vocals-in a Joy Division-like way-maintain their coolness and add mystery.

An album highlight, “Tear You Apart” starts out with a tinkering beat that is slowly overcome by a sticky bass line and brisk vocals that are spoken, not sung. The violent lyrics (“I want to f****** tear you apart”) juxtaposed with the cool, playful beat perfectly display the album’s angst/coolness struggle.

Unfortunately, because the tracks never seem to crack a smile, shed a tear or lash out, they get boring. In maintaining its coolness, She Wants Revenge misses the opportunities that turn mediocre albums into good albums.

Marshal Hogan