Alkaline has one connotation to most folks: Batteries.

And sure enough, Chicago's Alkaline Trio are a fittingly energized ensemble that cranks out vibrant, high-powered pop-punk tracks charged with punchy beats, hooky melodies, crisp vocal harmonies and plenty of ernest emo sentiment.

But the chem majors in the class know alkaline also refers to base elements and compounds -- entities which neutralize acids but can often be pretty corrosive on their own. Alkaline Trio fit this profile too.

After all, there's no more basic unit in music than the power trio. And you'd have a hard time finding more caustic lyrics than those on their striking fourth album Good Mourning.

Start with the sarcastically titled leadoff track This Could be Love and its serial-killer instruction manual chorus: "Step One: Slit my throat / Step Two: Play in my blood." Carry on through 11 more poisonous tracks laced with nightmares, grief, addiction, anguish, blasphemy, betrayal and death -- usually set to misleadingly dynamic melodies -- and you have one of the most multi-faceted and engaging bands to come down the punk pike in some time.

Just call them angels of the mourning.

Track Listing