Two years have passed since the hard rockers of Credential Recordings’ Dizmas appeared on the Christian music scene with their own blend of nu-metal, hard rock, and raw rock. They return this year with their sophomore record, Tension. There are quite a few similarities between the band’s debut On A Search In America, but there are some differences as well, and some notable ones at that.

Dizmas’ debut was chock full of screaming vocals, but this new album shows much more maturity, especially sonically. It seems the production has been stepped up quite a bit, but the band still carries that raw feel on many of their tracks, such as the opening rocker “Jealousy Hurts,” the melancholy, yet riff-driven “Play It Safem,” and “This Is a Warning.” The repetitive chorus of “Shake It Off” can get a little in the way of the song, but other tracks like the upbeat “Dance” and “The Voice Is Ghostly” make up for what is lost on one song.

As was with their debut, there are a few ballads included on Tension. “If You Love Someone” talks about not giving up on love when it seems too hard. Lead singer Zach Zegan’s voice is perfect for the softer songs that the band writes, and this time around, some songs like “Nothing At All” and “October” feature a female vocalist as well, which makes these ballads stand out among the rest of the album. As a whole, this new record from Dizmas is a definite step forward from their debut, although many fans may see it as a step backwards, missing the screaming vocals the band was known for. This album proves that Dizmas can rock with or without the vocal aggression, but it will be up to fans to decide which they like more.