Greeley Estates

Greeley Estates hails from Phoenix, Arizona, rather than the Weld County town known more for its smells than its sounds -- but that hasn't stopped Coloradans from embracing the act. The quintet has only been around since 2002, but it's already made a splash in punk-metal circles, with stints on the Vans Warped Tour and a co-headlining spot on last fall's MySpace tour. Understandably, Greeley Estates often gets lumped in with other screamo bands -- hence the high-profile tours with kindred angsty, mop-haired lads -- but with 2006's Far From the Lies, the group has demonstrated a notable leap forward in its songwriting and (gulp!) maturity. There are still the driving, minor-key songs punctuated with screams and howls from singer Ryan Zimmerman, but the tunes are more solid and hook-driven, with fewer unnecessary attempts at odd rhythmic breaks and quirky atonal jumps. Looks like Greeley Estates just might be growing up -- but only a little, we hope.