The Chariot charging into Hard Rock Cafe

They thump Bibles and skulls in equal measure. Though The Chariot have penned albums whose titles are inspired by passages of scripture, the band's brusque metalcore is more suggestive of pain than piety. Sure, they toil in an increasingly overcrowded, homogenous scene, but the group's emphasis on groove, precise playing and lead-heavy hooks means that they're not just blowing holy smoke.

See The Chariot at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Hard Rock Cafe Las Vegas, 3711 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 day of show; call 733-7625.