It's difficult to understand the appeal of St. Catharines-based screamo/whatever band Alexisonfire. They've been growing in popularity like weeds, what with international record deals, tons of touring and plenty of exposure. But their excruciatingly boring, predictable sound makes the band's success baffling. Their formula seems set in stone: deliver midtempo tunes that struggle and ultimately fail to sound well-crafted or even slightly interesting while riding the current wave of melodically inclined pop metal, a trend that will be regarded as no more important in the history books than, say, mid-90s boy bands. Factor in unnecessary vocals from screamer George Pettit, who seems hell-bent on further muddying the songs with his contrived, overused growl, and it's all completely forgettable.