[7.5/10] A year after releasing their full-length debut In The Trenches, Bay Area-based punk rockers Static Thought are back with their latest effort The Motive For Movement.

Within that time, the four-piece act have had a change of guard, with bassist Johan Hill replacing the departing bassist Mike Leon, with vocalist/guitarist Eric Urbach, guitarist Daniel Garcia and drummer Travis Davant making up the remainder of the line-up. But the news of a line-up change comes secondary to the change of sound Static Thought present on their latest effort.

Unlike the fast street punk vibe heard on their debut, the opening track, “Faces” is a little more rock influenced, and represents a big departure from what you would normally expect from the band.

The follow-up tracks “The Reason I Breathe” and “Anymore” are a little more familiar sounding with their frantic pace and gritty delivery, while “3rd World” and “Ambivalence” mark a return to the band’s newfound rock sound.

“Splinters And Stones” is certainly one of the album’s more experimental numbers with its sampled introduction and creative build up, while the gang vocalised “Under The Sun” shows a different side to the band with a heavier guitar sound.

“Vindication,” “How They Get By” and “Suburban Life” are energetic punk rock numbers that are typically Static Thought sounding, but it’s both “Terminus Mos Adveho” (which is loosely translated from Latin as “The Will To Carry On To The End Of The Line”) and the stunning closer “Conquest Of Saints” that the band really stretch out, and in the process, provide the album with some real first class anthems.

Punk rock isn’t really known for its progression, but if there’s one thing Static Thought have managed to do from their debut to sophomore effort, it’s just that.

www.staticthought.com