No Sound Without Silence

"Every day every hour, turn that pain into power," sings Danny O'Donoghue on "Superheroes." It's one of many messages of self-empowerment the Irish trio deliver on their fourth studio effort, a collection of monster tunes for which the designation "arena rock" falls short. A more classically rocking album than the 2012 single "Hall of Fame" (guitars and live drums abound), it's no less anthemic, with tracks like "The Energy Never Dies" and "Army of Angels" shooting for the stars. Yet it's the Ryan Tedder–assisted "Flares"—a smoldering, piano-driven ballad with astral overtones—that steals the show.