Artist: Foo Fighters

Title: Wasting Light

Label: RCA

To get an idea of what Foo Fighters' seventh album, Wasting Light, sounds like, consider what's printed on a sticker affixed to the physical CD cover: "Recorded entirely on analog tape in (Dave Grohl's) garage; a piece of the original master tape included in this package. Please play at maximum volume."

And sure enough, whether you choose the digital download or want to own a tangible snip of that rarefied analog goodness, you'll soon hear the band has banged out an old-fashioned rock record that would make the 1970s proud—a thick set of riff-driven, drum-rolling anthems that die-hard Led Zeppelin and Rush fans could deem worthy in 2011.

Foo Fighters branch out from this retro motif in several different directions, sometimes all within the same song. The first moments of opener "Bridge Burning" suggest Wasting Light might be a metal fest as the guitars scrape and Dave screams, "These are my famous last words!" But a few seconds later, a killer cascading groove snaps into place followed by a warm pop chorus.

Lead-off single "Rope" has a modern alternative bent and testifies to the benefits of having three electric guitarists in one group; and it's cool how drummer Taylor Hawkins weaves a complex rhythm in synch with each one while doubling Grohl's lead vocal an octave up throughout the multi-layered progressive jam.

Lyrically, there's a lot of angst from track to track. But that tension is always released through the full-throttle performances. "Dear Rosemary" is both dark and catchy enough for a teen vampire drama, and the guest vocals from alt-icon Bob Mould (Husker Du) add to that mystique. "Arlandria" burns past an unhealthy relationship ("Use me up, spit me out, let me be your hand-me-down"). "These Days" finally explodes from pent up frustration ("Easy for you to say; your heart has never been broken").

Much will be made of the fact that Wasting Light reunites Grohl with producer Butch Vig who worked on Nirvana's definitive Nevermind. And it's hard to ignore old band mate Krist Novoselic's cameo bass part on "I Should Have Known," a restless, echoing ballad that could certainly be about the tragic loss of Kurt Cobain. Perhaps it would be better though to focus on "Walk," the brighter, even spiritual closing cut that shouts, "I'm praying for a sign. I never want to die." If the records continue to be as solid as this one, indeed, long live Foo Fighters.

*This article first published 4/20/2011