Fans had been eagerly awaiting the release of Season of Poison, the sophomore album by Grammy Award-nominated band Shiny Toy Guns.

Listeners fell in love with the electronic sounds of the band's debut, We Are Pilots, and many hoped to hear the same sound. But with the replacement of lead female vocalist Carah Faye Charnow with Sisely Treasure, a contestant on The CW's The Search for the Next Doll, fans everywhere knew this album would be different. With Treasure on board, the band has changed from an electronica quartet to a more rock-based group.

The first hint was the first single, "Ricochet!" A hard-driven song powered by fast guitar riffs and extensive use of distortion, it's a stark contrast from the electronic, synthesized sounds of "Le Disko" and "You Are The One" from the first album. The clear, melodic vocals which mark most of the band's old music are notably absent here. Instead, Treasure and Chad Petree make use of harsher vocals and screams.

Despite Shiny Toy Guns' newfound musical edge, Season of Poison isn't a complete departure from the band's signature style. Fans will notice the return of "Turned to Real Life," a song that appeared on the indie releases of "We Are Pilots" but was dropped when the disc was picked up by Universal. Other songs, such as "I Owe You a Love Song" and "It Became a Lie on You," hearken back to Petree's more lyrical singing style. Not to be outdone, Treasure demonstrates her ability to actually sing in the album's final track, "Frozen Oceans."

Season of Poison has ushered in a new direction for Shiny Toy Guns. Though the lack of synthesizers is a cause for concern, "Season of Poison" has not failed to deliver.

Cesar Garcia attends Kerman High School in Kerman, Calif.