Rounded out by drummer Enrico Canu and bassist Alessandro D'Ascoli, this Washington DC band is also like Muse, in that it's a trio as well.

But the likenesses to Muse don't end there. Similar to Muse, The Age of the Universe writes songs about lofty, philosophical concerns. Even though Reese reaches for a Robert (Led Zeppelin) Plant-esque wail during "The Men on the Edge," you'd never mistake the group for any pre-metal classic rock band. These are songs more about the head than the crotch.

All 11 songs are all sonically fantastic, in large part due to the production work of Francesco Tedesco. But for whatever reason, it's difficult to connect emotionally with The Age of the Universe. In the end, listening to this album is a little like talking poetry with a biologist.