I'm a sucker for a well done conceptual album. A certain level of musicianship is necessary to delve into a source material and create something personal on many different levels. The Supervillains have led us to Hell's gates with their ska/punk interpretation of “Dante’s Divine Comedy.” Their six song EP, Robots, is what the afterlife would sound like if you had a hell hound gnawing on thick guitar strings as you gripped your last drink for dear life. Well, that is if your dear life wasn't still back in some other level, swaying under heavy guitar and growls, with beams of a cello beckoning you into the light.

The EP, released May 1st, follows their successful 2011 album, Postcards from Paradise. Robot’s greatest quality is the ability to translate the story of our own existence through a variety of musical genres. With ever changing tempos and the use of an eclectic mix of instruments, such as horns, violin, cello, and a standup bass , the band proves their musical abilities have many levels.

“Rapture” is our first stop in The Supervillains vision of the afterlife. Starting with a piano, we wave goodbye to the life we once had and, with a ferocious metal, punk infused turn, we find ourselves happiest. “Now that I’m dead and gone I’m happiest cause you don’t hold the power over me.” The move into “Hell” is fast and rising from the minute we arrive, ranging from quick ska to another heavy growl, ending with the sound of waves on a creaking ship. “Limbo” a stand out track for me, sounds like what I imagine pirates would sing out into the seas as they steered towards their own merry patch of hell.

When that ship crashes on the shores of “Purgatory,” it splinters into really danceable ska before it all completely breaks into sharp power chords and vocals. The discordant screams and rumbles of Purgatory all kind of fall away when we enter, “Space,” a step closer to the other side. “Space” is made up of a chorus of horns and seems a breakthrough in the journey that the band has created in Robots. No time is wasted in the final destination, “Heaven,” a spirited track that really relays the band's full spectrum of genres.

Robots is the SuperVillains album for the well-rounded music fan. Each one of the six tracks has a little something for everyone, whether it is piano, ska, or metal harmonies, all of which heard throughout the album's entirety. I don't know what the afterlife has in store for me, but I do know that if they play Robots on the way, I would feel like my life had properly been honored. It would sure distract me from the uncertainties of the afterlife.

The Supervillains will be stopping in at The Hut, Thursday May 10th as part of their Rah Rah Robots Tour. Tickets are available for $10 advanced and $12 at the door. They will be joined by Élan, Neiphi, Funky Bonz, Sean Donnelly, and CCS Crew , with Dj Knoccout spinning on the outside stage.