TORONTO - They are definitely not the kids they used to be but St. Catharines rock band Alexisonfire have managed to age gracefully when it comes to delivering an aggressive performance.

The band - playing the first of two evenings at Toronto's Sound Academy Thursday night - weren't quite the manic, screaming quintet earlier albums like 2004's Watch Out would indicate. But the new style of rowdy, punk-meets-rockabilly they have going for them now seems just as palatable.

Led by vocalist George Pettit but with healthy help from Dallas Green and Wade MacNeil, Alexisonfire opened with Young Cardinals, the first single off last year's album Old Crows/Young Cardinals. Here MacNeil's wails complemented Green's slightly softer side quite nicely.

The song was one of several off the latest album the band dished out, some of them falling a bit flat such as Midnight Regulations that still earned a decent reaction. Compared that however to the tighter Heading For The Sun and especially the groove-oriented jewel The Northern (which opened the encore) and one possibly sees some interesting future albums on the horizon.

With dozens of fans crowd-surfing or moshing near the front, Pettit and crew didn't have to fire up the audience judging by the immediate handclaps and sing-alongs on tunes like Boiled Frogs and Drunks, Lovers, Sinners And Saints. At times Pettit - who would later toss his t-shirt into the crowd and remain bare-chested - would slap himself in the head when not occasionally trying to catch attire and footwear tossed on stage.

Following the "screamo" rock of No Transitory, the group nailed We Are The Sound, another hellacious vocal cord-shredding assault by Pettit which fans warmed to instantly by using what Pettit described as their "beautiful singing voices." Judging by the intensity of the tune, it's surprising both singer and audience had any voice left.

Probably what was most surprising was the group tossing in some new material and a cover, both of which hit the mark. The lengthy title track from the band's recent EP Dog's Blood melded the newer musical framework of Alexisonfire with traits that got them first recognized a decade ago. As well a cover of Australian act Midnight Oil's The Dead Heart soared as drummer Jordan Hastings kept everything flowing during "the song they wish they would've wrote."

Although the encore would also feature more favorites like Accidents and the frantic Pulmonary Archery from their 2002 self-titled debut, the band fared better than expected on the screamo-lite number Sons Of Privilege and Accept Crime. The 14-song main set concluded with This Could Be Anywhere In The World, another track which had the desired rambunctious result.

And if the two Toronto shows weren't enough for fans, Alexisonfire announced a surprise concert set for Friday afternoon at Sonic Boom record store where they were scheduled to perform the Dog's Blood EP in its entirety.