Taking Dawn's preference for dark denim and faded black t-shirts recalls the aesthetic simplicity of early Metallica. Their music, however, is unapologetically inspired by the Aqua Netted androgens of Sunset Strip’s heyday. Taking Dawn’s debut Time to Burn rips open with one hell of a title-track as four-part vocal harmonies ascend like Def Leppard’s flawlessly congruent attunements, before taking on more anthemic fist-pumpers such as “Like a Revolution.” Stadium-worthy “Take Me Away” sounds tailored for arenas as their melodies soar like fighter jets under face-melting guitarmonies that would make Thin Lizzy proud. But the modern mix here keeps Taking Dawn from sounding like complete throwbacks. Producer Michael Baskette keeps things big and bombastic, making for a sonance relevant enough for the band to tour with Dragonforce, All That Remains and Theory of a Dead Man. Their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” approximates Mötley Crüe experimenting with grunge while their bonus cover of KISS’ “Black Diamond” almost rivals the original.