A departure of sorts, the six songs on Thelema (five new and one, "364 Days," taken from the b-side to a limited Paper Bag Series 45) find the six-piece exploring musical terrain that is as informed by the obstacles of their past as it is by an ambitious quest for the unconquered. It's a sound that can't be compared to the influences constantly referenced in early reviews of the band. Having served their purpose, those influences and markers have crumbled away and with Thelema The Murder City Devils have honed a vitality and style entirely their own, one that is elastic in structure, profound in its lyrical content, and melodic-yes, melodic-in tone.