Calla is going to go far, and their new album, Collisions, is going to take them there.

In the past, Calla’s music has been marked by a raw, jagged intensity. The band has always shown promise, but Collisions is perhaps the first time they have fully realized it. Their new record is more focused, more melodic, and more lushly produced than their previous albums, Scavengers and Televise. That’s not to say that the band has compromised one bit of its authenticity, or lost its edge — it has simply honed its blade.

The opening song, “It Dawned On Me” (available for a free download on Amazon; the video is here), gathers like a storm before exploding with an anthemic guitar riff and a kicking drum beat that step with revolutionary force. The song announces movement — this band is driving forward; you can either get on board or step aside. But don’t stand in the way, unless you’re willing to be run over.

The new album is at times densely atmospheric — “So Far, So What” and “Testify,” in particular, recreate the thick sonic soundscapes and choking distortion of My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain.

Other highlights include “Pulverize,” “Swagger” (which picks up right where one of the best songs on Televise, the pounding and amazing “Strangler,” left off), “Stumble,” and “Initiate.” The final song, “Overshadowed,” ends the album on a steadily rising crescendo.

If I’ve mentioned almost every song on this album as a highlight, I apologize, but the truth is that it’s all so good that it’s hard to leave any song out. In short, it fucking rocks.

If you are a fan of Bloc Party, Interpol, the Pixies, or The Breeders, you’ll like this powerhouse of an album. I feel confident that it will rise to the top of many year-end lists.

Check it out.

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