On their last album, 2007’s Blood Stained Love Story, Memphis, Tennessee quintet Saliva were rocked by internal conflicts and personal challenges that shook them to the core. Even though the record was successful, spawning the hit “Ladies and Gentlemen,” Blood Stained was their most confessional and heavy-hearted outing to date. Since then, Saliva have learned to enjoy life again, trading in much of the introspection and confessional songcraft for southern-style, kick-ass rock n’ roll. Their fifth major label album, Cinco Diablo, is brash, brazen and euphoric. Instead of dwelling on misfortune, Saliva have dug in their steel-toed boots, ramped up their energy level and blasted away their problems.

“We wanted this album to be tailor made for what Saliva’s music is used for, like live events such as wrestling and pro football,” says frontman Josey Scott. “But we also wanted it to be diverse. [Motley Crue bassist] Nikki Sixx is one of my idols, and he once told me that a good album has peaks and valleys and its ups and downs. And I really feel that this record’s got a beginning, a middle and an end, and flows sort of like a good movie.”