Jamie Stewart has never been afraid to walk the fine line between music and industrial noises. Many may not even agree that what he does with Xiu Xiu can be classified as music. Sometimes I truly wonder myself. With 2012’s Always, Stewart released his most “mainstream acceptable” album, featuring pop melodies worming their way through the rest of the noise. It contained some of his best music.

With the latest album — Angel Guts: Red Classroom — the noise has risen up and beat down most semblances of melodies or rhythms. While much of the record is hard to listen to, there are a few gems that offer redemption. “Stupid In The Dark” delivers an ’80s synth-pop beat that is a constant battle with dark gloomy rhythms and a plethora of noises. Stewart’s haunting wail strengthens the deeper into the song you travel as he sings about people are kept in the dark — from what I am not sure — and they are too stupid to realize it. “Bitter Melon” and “Botanica de Los Angeles” are a couple of melancholy tracks that sound like they were birthed from an unholy union of Joy Division, Bauhaus, and KMFDM. Then there is “Black Dick,” the most listener-friendly song on the album. A jungle beat morphs into driving industrial pulse as Stewart sings about sex, mainly black dicks. Despite the pornographic lyrics, it is actually a good song.

Xiu Xiu is Stewart’s passion, and he has never been afraid to dish out music that he loves whether it offends or turns away the masses. You have to give him credit for sticking to his guns and following his artistic visions. With Angel Guts he once again wades back into the doom and gloom that is his world and delivers an album that will have fans salivating to add it to their collection. The rest of us, not so much.

(Polyvinyl Record Co., 206 N. Randolph Street, Suite M100, Champaign, IL 61820)