After last year, most fans lost all hope in Chiodos. In just a few months the Michigan post-hardcore outlet dropped drummer Derrick Frost, lead singer Craig Owens and had both replaced by 2010’s Bamboozle Festival.

As most people saw Owens as the face of Chiodos, many fans automatically denounced the new members, refusing to give Brandon Bolmer, the new singer, any chance. However, with the release of “Illuminaudio,” Chiodos have proven that they are still the same band at heart.

The album starts with the song “Illuminaudio,” a slow and almost creepy introduction that leads straight into “Caves.” With its grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-shake-you-until-you-can’t-see-straight mentality, “Caves” ends the discussion about whether Chiodos will be able to live up to its former success.

Even with all the changes that took place inside Chiodos, the band has managed to preserve the same sound that fans came to love with 2005’s “All’s Well That Ends Well” and 2007’s “Bone Palace Ballet.” The new track “Stratovolcano Mouth” shares the same slow build-up followed by a crashing intensity that made the older song “The Undertaker’s Thirst For Revenge Is Unquenchable” such a gripping track.

Chiodos has always mixed the sound of a soft classic piano with heavy guitars and gut wrenching growls, and “Illuminaudio” continues the trend. “Those Who Slay Together, Stay Together” starts out with a beautifully composed piano and violin section and then slowly begins to gather steam until it explodes with thrashing guitars and cymbals and Bolmer’s shattering screams.

One of the biggest fears Chiodos fans had about losing Owens was his voice, with its uniquely high range and ability to produce some of the grizzliest screams in the hardcore scene. However, Bolmer delivered on “Illuminaudio.” On every track, he shows that he too can reach the high notes with ease, and his screams are powerfully crushing.

Of course, while Bolmer doesn’t have the exact same voice as Owens, the two voices are so alike that casual fans might not even be aware there was a singer exchange.

The biggest change for Chiodos is in the songwriting. On each album, Owens used to include two or three really touching love ballads like “Lindsay Quit Lollygagging,” “A Letter from Janelle” and “Intensity in Ten Cities.” Unfortunately, “Illuminaudio” doesn’t have any songs like these. While the slower songs like “Notes in Constellations” and “Closed Eyes Still Look Forward” are beautiful songs, they don’t pull at the heartstrings like Owens’ ballads did.

While the faces of Chiodos may have changed quite a bit, “Illuminaudio” is a testament to the strong core of Chiodos. It shows that the band is still one of the strongest in the hardcore scene and will be for years to come.