The music of Brand New Sin is American rock n’ roll in its purest form. The huge Southern rock riffs of guitarists Kenny Dunham and Kris Weichmann and the soulful croon of frontman Joe Altier make Tequila, the band’s third effort, as hummable as it is heavy.

Cutting their teeth on the road with the likes of Black Label Society and Corrosion of Conformity, Brand New Sin always has been at its best as a live act. With producer Joey Z (Life of Agony), the band took advantage of its strength, recording Tequila live in the studio. The strategy gives the album a ferocious, raw sound and probably is a big reason why they already have a batch of 14 new tunes just 16 months after the release of 2005’s Recipe for Disaster. Altier, in particular, gives a more aggressive performance (not that he was slouching before). There isn’t a more powerful singer in hard rock today.

This disc flat-out rocks from start to finish. The standout tracks include “Said and Done,” “Spare the Agony,” “The Proposition,” “Old,” “Motormeth” (the first single), “Reaper Man” (featuring guest vocals by Type O Negative’s Peter Steele) and a cover of “House of the Rising Sun.” I know I listed half of the album, but that’s how good it is. Brand New Sin follows no trends and employs no gimmicks in delivering its Sabbath-meets-Skynyrd-meets-Motorhead sound. I’m not a drinking man, but I’d be lying if I said Tequila doesn’t make me a little thirsty.