Dizmas grows up and digs deeper on its second album, Tension (2007). Singer Zach Zegan’s vocals have gained greater expressiveness, and guitarists Jon T. Howard and Josh Zegan have added more texture to their playing. Most important is the maturity of the songwriting — there’s a sense of dawning clarity amidst the rage and fear filling these tracks. The band uses its faith as a foundation to express a wide range of sentiments (many of them not especially pretty). Tracks like “The Voice Is Ghostly” and “Shake It Off” slash their way through confusion and doubt, while “Jealously Hurts” seeks genuine love with desperation. The band takes some risks here, like swimming in a dreamy keyboard atmosphere on “Sun,” and “Dance” manages to sound brawny and light-footed at once, blasting away with abandon. Tension lives up to its title — there’s a tug and pull to this music that keeps things volatile. The results stir the blood and prod at the spirit.