The Shape of Blue LP

Arankai's second album for Hopeless, The Shape of Blue, follows last year's A Portrait of Red and doesn't sand down the metalcore and punk edges the label signed them for. Lead single "I Hope It Hurts" runs hardcore riffs against pop hooks while the lyric walks out on a bad relationship instead of staying to fight about it. Rebellion and sacrifice as marketing copy get old fast; here the band at least earns the second word.