Coliseum is a niche band, the kind of music that is a home run or a strikeout depending on the taste of the listener — there is little room for middle ground. Abrasive guitars, the kind of singing that makes the listener’s throat hurt, pounding, ever-present drums, and screeching solos round out a very intense sound. But this album is, in terms of its genre, a departure — how hardcore are violins? Not very, yet they’re not even noticeable throughout “Isela Vega,” just seamlessly worked into the mix. That in and of itself is an achievement.
(Temporary Residence Limited, PO Box 60097, Brooklyn, NY 11206)