(Tombstone) www.piercedarrows.com

The Pierced Arrows, of course, is Fred and Toody Cole’s new outfit; after drummer Andrew Loomis left Dead Moon, the Oregon couple fulfilled their pledge not to continue on with the name if any member departed. So Kelly Halliburton now mans the drumkit, and the Coles are as garage-shock defiant and hell-bent for leather as ever. Yeah, they sound a lot like Dead Moon — Fred Cole’s unhinged, Arthur Lee-like vocals and keep-it-simple chord structures ensure that — with the main break from the past being a shift away from Dead Moon’s signature lo-fi/mono aesthetic by recording in a real studio with a producer. Improved sonics aside, Straight To the Heart is aimed directly at faithful D.M. fans, notably the grinding, malevolent anti-war screed “Guns Of Thunder,” punk thrasher “Walking Wounded” (featuring a nice Fred-Toody vocal duet), a thunderous romp through Neil Young’s “Mr. Soul” and a bluesy slab of alienation (one of Fred’s favorite song topics) rock called “C-U.” Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Cole.

Standout Tracks: “In My Brain,” “Guns of Thunder” FRED MILLS