Hard-rock and alternative-metal artist Kris Bell lets out a lot of steam, ponders his faith and asks for forgiveness on his sophomore release The Day & the Dark. Although Bell, along with his band, doesn’t break much new ground, the 11-track album fuses enough thunderous rock and intense, thought-provoking lyrics to grab the listener’s attention.

Let it be known, some listeners, like myself, will get a sour taste right away on the brutal (and distasteful) track “Bad Mutha,” in which Bell belts out lyrics like Shake her down, knock her out, bind her hands, gag her mouth, keep it secret. It’s a heavy track, not for the faint of heart. However, on a lighter note, the rest of the album doesn’t reprise that message, so if you can get past the raunchy, sexist lyrics early on, the other 10 tracks are an easy listen.

Bell, who moved to Nashville in 2005, breaks out the acoustic guitars for the stripped-down “This Cross,” a song about losing faith and asking for help. Other standouts include the Southern-rock-infused penultimate track, “Better Enemies,” which features a booming choir. It’s also the album’s only power ballad, which makes it a breath of fresh air on an otherwise aggressive album.

The Day & the Dark clocks in just under an hour, and if you like edgy rock anthems, there’s more than enough here for you to enjoy. Kris Bell and his band frequent the Middle Tennessee area regularly, including an upcoming Oct. 16 appearance at London’s Sports Bar in Tullahoma, so check out his official website, krisbellmusic.com, for future dates.