Melody meets mayhem in 9mm Parabellum Bullet, an alt-rock outfit specializing in heavy, hardcore-derived riffs and howled vocals that add intensity even to their midtempo moments. The Yokohama four-piece prefers the frenetic, relying on fast shredding and start-stop tempo changes reminiscent of math rock and bolstered by backing screams that up the drama significantly (“Cold Edge”). Yet they also shine when they take it down a notch, creating waltz-like numbers with a macabre atmosphere (“Inochi No Zenmai”) that still find room for some shouting.