CREDIT: SPINEFARM RECORDS
Nocturnal Masquerade "aims to capture a spectrum of sound that could bring you to different places in mood and spirit," said guitarist Jason Goss.

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. No doubt you've heard before of the Dark Side of the Rainbow phenomenon, the supposed link between the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd's 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon, but have you tried it?

The two are said to correspond with one another in eerie ways when experienced simultaneously, though from all accounts the truth is in the eye of the beholder. Out of curiosity, I attempted my own experiment: watching the 2010 action comedy The Other Guys, while spinning the Foo Fighters' 2011 album Wasting Light, which went on to steal most of the rock music categories at the 2012 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

That's a story for another time, however there are few moments in cinematic history as satisfying as watching Will Ferrell and Eva Mendes croon “Pimps Don't Cry” as the fragile strains of “I Should Have Known” evolve with Krist Novoselic's thumping bass. That kind of rock theater experience is fun and offers some thrilling moments.

If you're after a truly thrilling experience, however, you would do well to listen to Nocturnal Masquerade, the latest effort by Asbury Park metal outfit Toothgrinder. It was their debut full-length album on Spinefarm Records and it is due for release this Friday, Jan. 29.

Metal fans will have known about the group, presently composed of front man Justin Matthews, drummer Wills Weller and Jason Goss and Matt Arensdorf on guitar and bass, respectively, for years, tracing past their independent releases to 2010. However, they've gained a particular momentum since the release of their Schizophrenic Jubilee EP in 2014, evident in the music they've previewed leading up to the new album release.

It began when they premiered the opening track “The House (That Fear Built)” in October on the music magazine site MetalSucks.net.

According to vocalist Matthews, they had a few reasons for offering the album opener as a peek into the depth and diversity of the new record.

“The song foreshadows the intensity and melodic tension the rest of the album seems to exude,” he described in the album press release, referring to it as his favourite on Nocturnal Masquerade.

Knowing that going in, much like hearing the song before the album's release, it does little to prepare you for the power that explodes forth following those first few tenuous bars.

It's a fitting overture; even 90 seconds in, the listener has been on an aural ride that effortlessly slips between melodic and frenetic, effecting grunge and blistering thrash.

As a unit, Toothgrinder exhibit a subtle mastery of each; check out the soaring close of “Lace & Anchor” or the immediate, unsettling tension of “Blue”. Before you're even aware, you've arrived at the anthemic earworm “Diamonds For Gold”. These premiered recently on influential UK rock magazine site Kerrang.com.

The new album marks an incredible effort on the part of the band to colour considerable compositional muscle with urgency and emotion, at once painting with broad strokes and considering minor nuances, keeping their eye on the big picture while creating a landscape that doesn't cease to closely catch your ear. The result is a record that is vibrant and alive, one that will appeal to the casual metal listener in rock and punk fans everywhere.

“With Nocturnal Masquerade we wanted to capture a spectrum of sound that could bring you to different places in mood and spirit,” explained guitarist Goss. “These songs are going to make a long lasting impact in our lives and we can't wait to share [them] with our fans.”

For more on Toothgrinder and their new album Nocturnal Masquerade, visit the band on Facebook (toothgrinder.usa) or follow along on Twitter @toothgrinderusa. The band has only posted a few shows along the eastern seaboard this weekend; stay tuned for more tour announcements.

And for more of the latest music news, album streams and gigs coming to London, add @fsu_bobbyisms to your Twitter timeline. Support local music and non-local, too. I'm out of words.