Alien Ant Farm [ tickets ]'s outlook was grim after the May 2002 tour bus accident that claimed the life of the band's driver in Spain. Vocalist Dryden Mitchell underwent surgery to repair a fractured vertebra and was forced to wear a metal halo to restrict his movement during his lengthy rehabilitation, and the other bandmembers suffered various injuries.

On "truANT," the fully recovered members of Alien Ant Farm return with a new urgency, as if to prove they aren't just a Michael Jackson cover band. "1000 Days" and "Drifting Apart" open with a profound swagger, loaded with meaty riffage from guitarist Terry Corso and bassist Tye Zamora. Producers Dean and Robert DeLeo (of Stone Temple Pilots) weigh heavily in bringing a crispness to the record, as "Sarah Wynn" and the 6/8-time "Goodbye" sound like tunes they could have penned.

But what really separates AAF from a lot of other young bands is how fearlessly--and well--they dive into different styles. "Never Meant" is a reggae number that wouldn't be out of place on any Police album, save for drummer Mike Cosgrove's Bonham-esque "Fool in the Rain" backbeat. And the delicious Latin flavors of "Tia Lupé," featuring Corso's acoustic guitar and Cosgrove's clave--show that this is a band with big ears.

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