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Senses Fail, "Still Searching" (Vagrant Records)

This quintet of New Jersey emo punks is wrestling with a crisis of conscience ("The Rapture" with its refrain of "I won't be saved!"), while questioning its faith ("Can't Be Saved," which also deals with trendiness, as per the line: "I know I got tattooed for a reason").

The post-hardcore melodicism comes courtesy of a twin-guitar attack that burnishes a metal intensity and a pounding beat ("Sick or Sane (Fifty for a Twenty)"), with some screaming and growling in the vocals department.

These guys are barely in their 20s, so themes deal with teen angst, loneliness ("Bonecrusher"), betrayal (the pummeling "Shark Attack" with its steady growl) and one's purpose in the world (confronting fears leads to an aggro epiphany on the title track) with an almost confessional bent ("Every Day is a Struggle").

First single "Calling All Cars" is very melodic with a driving rhythm and seems almost out of place (almost). Two of the finer experiments are "All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues," a blast of hardcore speed metal, and "The Priest and the Matador," a mellow, loud yet uplifting introspection that offers the point of view of a suicide jumper.

Ultimately this disc is cathartic in unexpected ways; Senses Fail is still seeking the meaning of life, but, oh, what a trip.

Alexisonfire, "Crisis" (Vagrant Records)

The first opening salvo off the opener "Drunks, Lovers, Sinners and Saints" says it all: "Alright, this is from our hearts!" And this five-piece Toronto hardcore outfit delivers in aces. Via screamed, growled and melodic vocals, three singers provide point/counterpoint throughout, usually in tandem.

This seems like a concept album, or more like a runaway train, as the songs relentlessly segue from one to the next, dealing with everyday occurrences and observances and the inherent angst/conflict ("This Could Be Anywhere in the World"; "Mailbox Arson," with its chilling "Your mail's not safe in this town"; friends betraying friends on "Keep it on Wax").

Dark, personal themes dominate, as on "Rough Hands" ("Sometimes love isn't about how much someone suits you; But how much you're willing to change to suit them"); "To A Friend" (schizophrenia); and "You Burn First," where a tribal beat propels pain and desire and a brand new curse.

Other outstanding cuts include the title track which details the killer blizzard of 1977 ("A blizzard's coming in the year punk died") and "Boiled Frogs," about wasted life, workplace futility and failed dreams.

This music is anthemic, pummeling yet very melodic, even hook-laden, with huge choruses. It is intense and liberating. Alex isn't on fire, but Alexis is and will be your new favorite hardcore band.

The Sleeping, "Questions and Answers" (Victory Records)

This Long Island, N.Y., quartet offers a weird mix of emo and screamo with dance beats and rhythms (epitomized on "Don't Hold Back"), but somehow it all works.

Themes mostly involve girl trouble, as on the bitter breakup of "The Big Breakdown - Day 3 (The Escape)," which is almost bipolar as a jazzy bass line gives way to a hard-rock guitar attack; the moody and mood-shifting "King of Hearts" where the guy catches his sweetie with someone else; and "3 Cigarettes," with its time and tempo shifts. It all culminates with a Dear Jane letter ("Dearest Mistake").

The guys include a tribute to late Bayside drummer John "Beatz" Holohan ("Heart Beatz") and offer answers to questions about life and death ("Who Stays Behind?"). They even consider poltergeists on the radio (the rhythmic and driving "Loud and Clear").

These guys are musically adept at several styles (as evinced on the eight-minute-plus, mostly instrumental closer "Still"), but they usually stick to emo and a hard-rock beat with some (just a little) screamo thrown in.

Senses Fail headlines a bill that features Saosin at 6 tonight at the Sunshine Theater, 120 Central Ave. S.W. Alexisonfire and The Sleeping open the all-ages show. $16.50, plus service charges, at Ticketmaster outlets. Call 883-7800 or go to www.ticketmaster.com. Smoking and alcohol service in segregated areas only.

Zelazowa, "Polymorph" (Serenka Music)

A follow-up to last February's full-length debut "Rest Easy," this four-song EP from the Philly foursome - two sets of brothers who happen to be cousins - is the result of nine months on the road.

These guys deliver indie guitar rock with vocal harmonies to spare - only the guitarist doesn't sing.

Opener "1,000 Smiles" has emo elements with punk attitude and hard-rock riffs. The menacing sounding "When the Sky Imploded" gets by with a hard-rock hook, and "Generation Mantra" is emo-punk with a driving backbeat.

Each song is slightly diverse and seems to crystallize a different aspect of the band's music.

Zelazowa share the stage with Ground Beneath at Ralli's 4th Street Pub and Grill, 109 Fourth St. N.W., at 8 p.m. Thursday, for a free show. 21 and over. 243-1093.