On my first listen to “We Are All We Have,” I fell into that inevitable trap of long-term fans. As a die-hard member of the Casualties Army, I wasn’t ready to let them be anything other than the hardcore, high-octane grudge match of a band I’ve known them to be. That said, “We Are All We Have” is perhaps the best of the Casualties’ recent work because of its diverse influences. The gutter punk is still there in spades, but there’s a reggae song, hints of ska and some serious thrash metal influence. The combination is delicious but might be an acquired taste.

Some of it’s more melodic than we’re used to—“Rise and Fall” is basically the Casualties’ version of Rancid’s “Fall Back Down.” It’s more upbeat, but it also hinges on that crucial, often-overlooked quality of punk: community. While some of the songs lose the harsh urgency of earlier albums, they redouble their investment in the punk ethos. There’s rebellion and isolation, but also a feeling of unity and strength. The tour in support of the “We Are All We Have” will be an insane live show. Nothing brings people together like a circle pit!

Some aspects of the album are fairly experimental, but it’s restricted to the intros before getting back to business. “Apocalypse Today” starts with a ferocious, female spoken-word intro—think Patti Smith with a hacksaw—but quickly evolves into the Casualties as we know and love them, protesting and catharting at a thousand miles per hour.

“In the Tombs” might be the most obvious example of the band’s departure from their regular M.O. Rather than taking off at breakneck speed, the intro consists of a jazzy, Sublime-esque riff. The effect is pretty disconcerting. From an objective perspective, it totally works; the hardcore/ska/reggae mixture is well beloved for a reason. It’s the change in speed that throws off the listener, and the fact that the lyrics are now halfway intelligible. Fortunately, the band doesn’t leave us in the predicament for long, transitioning to layered gang-style vocals over Jorge Herrera’s guttural, straining scream.

The last half of the album holds most of the real standouts: While the reggae influence takes some getting used to, the thrash metal tropes integrate perfectly into the Casualties’ sound. “Depression—Unemployment Lines” kicks off with a single palm-muted note that builds up to alternated picking before exploding into the rest of the song. The background vocals are at their best on this track, and even the solo, that enemy of punk rock, works incredibly well. While innovative, the new album hasn’t abandoned what the band does best. “War is Business,” “Life Clone” and “Clockwork” provide enough classic Casualties sound to satisfy even the pickiest old-school listener. Punk’s not dead—it’s not even done evolving.

For fans of: Leftover Crack, The Exploited, Discharge

Tracks to download:  ‘Depression—Unemployment Lines,’ ‘Stand Against them All,’ ‘We Are All We Have’