Produced in an actual recording studio (albeit for only $300) the four boys of By the End of Tonight almost stand still for a couple moments during the album.

The scorching metal riffs of Fireworks on Ice are distilled through hyper-emotional crescendos and vivid, playful melodies.

The drums, which overwhelmed previous recordings, are more subdued, the controlled chaos propels the dynamics of each song to new heights.

Yes, he still plays a child's drum kit; and yes, he can still muscle more out it than Tommy Lee and Alex Van Halen combined.

By the End of Tonight have done what few others have achieved: giving virtuosity heart, and letting that heart determine the pulse of their music.

They have a rare gift for shrugging off genres and finding the concentrated emotional core of every melody they play, all the while keeping your eyelids glued to your forehead.