Vajra, led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Annamaria Pinna, offers dark, heavy rock infused with a mild dose of eastern music influence (mostly in the percussion department) that separates it from the rest of the pack.

Whereas the comparable The Tea Party sweeps you off your feet with its sense of melody and dynamics incorporated within the songs, Vajra's immediate, infectious songs are steadier, offering something sedating in their constant beat, and hinting at the repetitiveness ascribed to Indian music, which Pinna might have absorbed during her stay in India.

Vajra's songs benefit from smoky yet robust timbres, and the band's level of sophistication should not be ignored. The lush textures, which include awesome, melodic bass work (by Will Dahl) and delicate shades of keyboards, as well as an undercurrent of experimentalism, add up to the pensive atmosphere (check out the two instrumental interludes; the decision to include these alone says a lot about Vajra's maturity, as they are crucial in refreshing the listening experience!), intoxicating rhythms and the warm, trustful and seductive voice (coproduced by Sylvia Massy, who worked with the likes of Tool and System of a Down), often resembling a latter day Rush. (8/10)