Shapeshifter

The stormy blend of pop-punk and emo surging across Knuckle Puck’s debut carries over to this equally volatile follow-up. “Twist” nearly tears itself apart with cyclonic drum patterns and stuttering start-stop guitars that smack into each other like agitated atoms. Singer Joe Taylor’s lyrics turn inward on numerous songs, especially on the tearing, hardcore-fueled “Everyone Lies to Me” and “Want Me Around,” which addresses the hurdles and losses that accompany maturity.

The sophomore record sounds like a concept album about change: changing relationships, changing surroundings, changing…