Off With Their Heads frontman Ryan Young calls them "the swoopy-haired bands." You might know them better as emo acts, the kinds of groups that have been widely associated with Epitaph Records over the past half-decade or so.

"I look at them like the glam-rocker hair bands of the '80s, who were big for a moment but burned out real quick," Young explained. "What we do isn't really trendy like that."

That distinction is important now that Off With Their Heads is officially an Epitaph recording act. The hyper-touring Minneapolis punk band's second full-length album, "In Desolation," came out Tuesday on the California indie label. Full of fast and furious guitars and roiling, in-your-face choruses, "In Desolation" is more in line with Epitaph's old roster of glory-day punk bands -- i.e., Rancid, NOFX and Bad Religion -- than with more recent, slicker stars such as New Found Glory, Matchbook Romance and Minneapolis labelmates Sing It Loud.

Even Epitaph head honcho Brett Gurewitz seemed to appreciate the difference. Upon signing the band, he declared, "Off With Their Heads might be the best punk band going right now. Epitaph needs them; music needs them."

OWTH was already hard at work on the songs for "In Desolation" before Epitaph came calling. Some of the tracks were first recorded for a split EP with pals Dillinger Four, but that never came to fruition. After they signed with Epitaph, they went ahead and finished recording with the same producer, local punk/pop wiz Jacques Wait.

As the title suggests, "In Desolation" wound up loaded with damaged, disenchanted fight songs that pretty much make you want to lift both middle fingers high in the air by the time the album's epic closer, "Clear the Air," kicks into high gear. Young said the songs were inspired by "lifestyle choices" and "the fact that we spent 15 months on the road leading up to it." He and his bandmates have taken a rare break from the road the past couple months. Of course, the break was just a precursor to spending the rest of the year on the road. The band is crossing its fingers for a fall tour with Bad Religion.

Margaret Andrews, Star Tribune
Off With Their Heads

Whether or not "In Desolation" can do for Epitaph Records what the label's commercially successful emo bands have done, OWTH's members will be satisfied if it sparks even a modest punk revival. Asked Young, "How much longer can the kids listen to that other stuff?"