Distillers are a Dalle show

Three albums strong, The Distillers have become a mainstay of rockers everywhere. Rising from and surviving the stagnant punk rock cesspool, the band has released Coral Fang, letting the world know they're a step ahead of other mohawk-rocking punks.\nAs Brody Dalle has risen to be one of the biggest frontwomen in punk rock, she's split with Rancid's Tim Armstrong, loosened the band's ties with Tim's label, Hellcat, in signing to Sire and has taken on a grown-up tone to complement the band's image and sound. \nThere is a smoothness to this album that wasn't present on the first two records. Coral Fang retains the Distillers' aggressiveness and Brody's slurred, sandpaper voice, but it leaves the three-chord simplicity behind."Dismantle Me" and "Die on a Rope" reiterate the band's niche of punk attitude and distortion on which they've built their reputation, but "The Hunger" and "For Tonight You're Only Here to Know" show how they've graduated to something a little more refined. Soothing, even acoustic, guitars, along with thick, melodic backing vocals have brought a new, tough-love feeling to the group.\nCoral Fang is as sharp as the razor blades that adorn its liner notes. Enjoy, but don't cut yourself.