MANILA, Philippines?Metallica?s latest album, ?Death Magnetic? (MCA) finds heavy metal?s lapsed visionaries recapturing the essence of their multi-platinum selling breakthrough in 1991.

At the same time, this new disc trumps the band?s previous studio release, 2003?s ?St. Anger,? on two fronts: 1) muscular drumming slams the beat right into your eardrums; 2) chief lyricist James Hetfield grapples with personal demons.

Against the elastic standards of extreme metal, today?s Metallica operates on the middle road bounded by the envelope-pushing blitzkrieg from Finnish black metal fiends, and friendlier metal boogie from British rockers. With ?Death Magnetic,? Metallica reloads the best bits of its back catalog, mostly Hetfield?s ultra-melodic power chords. The blockbuster riffs of ?That Was Your Life,? ?The Day That Never Comes? or ?Suicide & Redemption? will haunt one?s waking hours like sonic candy from chart-hugging rock stars.

Then again, one has to wade through haunted lyrics that name-checks death, desolation, self-destruction and other morbid images in the course of just one track. It can be a distressing experience for the uninitiated. But hard-core metal heads will pump their fists on first listen, then move on to harder, faster, louder alternatives. Tony Maghirang

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Pedicab?s second album, ?Shinji Ilabas Mo Na Ang Helicopter? (MCA) reminds us of the electro-pop surprise of its two-year old debut.

When it wants to rock, like in ?Shinji?s? first track, Pedicab takes a bite off its keyboardist Raimund Marasigan?s main band, Sandwich.

Similarly, ?Laway? and ?Deafening Silence? borrow ingredients from Sandwich?s last two servings.

?Ang Pusa Mo? stands on its own merits, driving its catchy hook via an insistent guitar riff. Lyrically, the track is a subtle nod to the ways of seduction.

Its stylistic flip, ?Breaking Away,? works its charm slowly, unraveling into a fine pop ballad adorned by electronic bleeps and squiggles.

On its second stab, Pedicab still moves in the shadow of a more prolific big brother. Next time should see the band lifting off to its own higher ground. Tony Maghirang

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Cebu?s rock stalwart Urbandub leapt from indie cred to mainstream honors and reaped its just rewards with stunning crossover hits that married metal unrest with dreamy pop hooks.

That marriage of convenience appears to be in trouble by the sound of the band? s newest release, ?Under Southern Lights? (EMI). Urbandub has tempered its signature wall of melodic noise for the usual rock ?n? roll.

After the emo flash of the opening track, ?An Invitation,? the album slithers to the stoic ?Anthem? and ?The Fight is Over.? ?Guillotine? pumps up the volume, only to give way to a rush of uninspired tunes.

Beneath the rock haze, every song is an aching love ballad. Still, there?s no excuse for the tired formula of ?Cebuana? or ?Evidence.? Tony Maghirang

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There?s even less excuse to make sense of ?Blur the White Lines? (Pop-No-Comply Records), the debut album of emo upstart Angulo. Nice band name though, one with multiple connotations ? a mess, a viewpoint, a slant.

Unfortunately, Angulo seems to be a one-trick pony at this point, possibly messing up a rare opportunity. Its attempts at poignant rock can be reduced to one song (?The Best Mistake?) and the 50 or so lines that pass for verses sound like retreads of Eric Clapton?s immortal question: ?Why does love got to be so sad?? Tony Maghirang

Sugarfree

Collaborations between rock bands and symphony orchestras are old hat. But an OPM group getting into such a project that reinvents the band?s songs in brilliant ways is an endeavor that stands out.

In the new two-disc album ?Sugarfree Live!? (recorded in 2007 at the Music Museum), the band and the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra (with Silent Sanctuary violinist Chino David conducting) prove that the idea can be quite refreshing.

Kicking things off with the love song ?Prom? was the band?s best move. The original version allowed for a reworking that blends seamlessly with the show?s overture. It let the MPO string section take center stage ? a bright sign of things to come.

The music doesn?t disappoint. From one track to the next, the album demonstrates how good OPM can lend itself well to orchestral music, and vice versa. Sugarfree?s hits sound new again as the band?s rock trio setup meld with the swirling symphony.

At the start of ?Hari ng Sablay,? frontman/chief songwriter Ebe Dancel?s voice emotes over a softly swaying bed of violins, while drummer Kaka Quisumbing, bassist Jal Taguibao and the orchestra?s horn section work out the rest of the song.

?Kung Ayaw Mo Na Sa Akin? has Dancel singing a capella in some parts, while more violins add texture towards the song?s end.

A slow number, ?Kwentuhan,? trains the spotlight on the string and percussion sections, as it leads to the chorus that Dancel belts out with dramatic flair.

By the time the listener gets to Disc 2 (where the last three songs are), he is already familiar with the kind of reinvention that is the point of the whole project.

This live set is a revelation of David?s talent. It is likewise a testament to Sugarfree?s songwriting genius. More important, it highlights Dancel?s expressive vocals, drawing both fans and first-time listeners to appreciate the songs in a poetic light. Ina Stuart Santiago

Lani Misalucha, Regine Velasquez

The good news about Lani Misalucha and Regine Velasquez is that they sound great even when they?re not belting out high notes.

This they demonstrate in ?Reminisce? and ?Low Key,? their respective, all-covers, new CDs (Universal Records). Both records take listeners (primarily the ?70s generation) back to sleepy afternoons when AM radio played lots of ?mellow? music ? a kind of radio programming that persists to this day on a number of FM stations.

In the 14-track ?Reminisce,? Lani succeeds in breathing new life to Elton John?s ?Skyline Pigeon,? America?s ?Tin Man? and most especially Queen?s ?Love of My Life? where she proves capable of ?owning? the Freddie Mercury classic.

Not all the songs, though, are necessarily wise choices. For instance, Kansas? ?Dust in the Wind? has been covered on record, and many times in concert, by the likes of Kuh Ledesma. Somehow, Lani?s version fails to make a distinct impression.

The 18-track ?Low Key? captures Regine in a very relaxed mood, except maybe in ?Tell Me That You Love Me? (original by Diana Ross) where she nearly winds up in her typical birit style.

The rest of the songs, however, can make even non-fans appreciate Regine for her sensitivity, most notably in Don McLean?s ?And I Love You So? and the Beatles? ?Strawberry Fields Forever.? Some cuts may seem incongruous, but Regine points out that these (Billy Joel?s ?She?s Always a Woman,? Dan Fogelberg?s ?Leader of the Band?) are dedicated to her mom and dad.

It would be ideal for Lani and Regine to explore more of this laid-back approach with new songs in the future. In the meantime play these albums when you?re too lazy to rock n? roll at night, or when trying to hush the baby in the daytime. Pocholo Concepcion