On its latest album, "Survival Story," Denver-based rap-rock band Flobots [1] continue to mix multiple genres (imagine a jam session involving P.O.D. [2], Atmosphere [3] and the Red Hot Chili Peppers [4]) to send a political message. While the group's new set features a heavier rock sound than previous efforts, the rapping can be monotonous and overly political. The track "Cracks in the Surface" presents an idea that's at the core of "Survival Story": the portrayal of a world sinking under the weight of war and corruption. In that vein, with a dance beat and funky bassline, "Whip$ and Chain$" bashes corporations, banks, governments and everything else that's wrong with society. Rise Against [5] guitarist Tim McIlrath joins the group on "White Flag Warrior," a blatant protest song with high-energy vocals that proclaims, "War is child abuse." But at times the MCs try too hard to deliver a rebellious message and forget about their flow.--Ilya Skripnikov