***1/2 Ignite

A PLACE CALLED HOME

(TVT)

"I care about hardcore/But I hate the scene," sings Ignite frontman Zoli Teglas on "Who Sold Out Now?", the petulant first song off the Orange County band's first full-length album since 1995. Sick of being judged by kids who aren't in it for the long haul -- in the song, his teenage antagonist ends up leaving the scene to get "freaked out on X at some rave or techno" -- Teglas is echoing the sentiments of many a veteran punk. Ignite have committed the ultimate punk crime by leaving esteemed SoCal indie label Revelation for TVT, but A Place Called Home is the rare hardcore album that's catchy and thoughtful enough to have a shot at reaching a larger audience.

With its tight vocal harmonies and angry lyrics about domestic violence, "Run" is emblematic of the band's Bad Religion-inspired approach. They end up sounding more like the Scorpions on slower tunes like the title track, a long-distance love song that thumps along on guitarist Brian Balchack's near-metal riffs. Ignite play hardcore with kid-friendly tempos, grown-up themes, and, in the operatic Teglas, a commanding vocal presence that bridges the generation gap.

-- Sean Richardson