The self-assured swagger is still ever-present on The Kills inventive new full-length, Blood Pressures, but their sultry, strident sound has softened quite a bit, while the tantalizing tension between Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart that pulsed through their early work has understandably faded away. But their inspired, albeit somewhat aberrant, new songs still remain sonically interesting even as the band’s sound matures and their textures broaden, with the duo crafting reflective, refined numbers that still bristle with a potency and a sense of confidence that has permeated all of The Kills increasingly innovative albums.

The record kicks off with the pounding rhythms of ‘Future Starts Slow,’ which bears a considerable resemblance to the dynamic beat of Radiohead’s ‘There There.’ But those similarities become mere echoes as the song comes into its own during the fitful chorus, with Hince and Mosshart brazenly challenging all-comers to “blow what’s left of my right mind.” But it’s on the second song where the band strays a bit outside their gritty musical predilections, with the sinister, reggae-tinged cadence of ‘Satellite.’ It’s a moody, pulsating number that is a fresh, welcome addition to The Kills catalogue, and churns with a focused urgency that is ultimately compelling and quite irresistible.

Blood Pressures is indeed full of new directions and disparate influences for the band, as they have scaled back from the garage-rock rawness of their first three albums in favour of more melodic, revealing songs like the Stones-y, lovelorn duet ‘Baby Says,’ and the stark, piano-laden dirge ‘The Last Goodbye.’ And while some of these tracks don’t strike with the immediacy or urgency of their predecessors, the new songs have an adventurousness and durability that those combustible early tracks lacked.

Mosshart’s fervent, pronounced vocals on ‘Nail In My Coffin’ echo her explosive work with the Dead Weather, and blends fluidly with Hince’s grinding guitars and propulsive, programmed beats. And while Mosshart’s experimental, energetic work with Jack White’s luminous side-project created plenty of indelible moments, it sounds like she is more at home within the familiar confines of The Kills, as her vocals are more assured and forthright throughout this new batch of songs. And those fans coming to The Kills solely due to their love of the Dead Weather are surely to find a different Alison here; a vocalist that at once seems more emotionally invested in these songs, but one that also knows that she clearly has the spotlight mostly to herself this time, without any worry of being overshadowed. That confidence creates a more pensive inflection in Mosshart’s vocals (for she doesn’t really have as much to prove in this arrangement), but also a sense of ease and musical freedom that allows her breathy vocals to take center stage while they insistently soar over the untamed melodies.

Hince has also upped his game considerably on this record, in an effort not only to keep Mosshart’s musical attention after her time spent with the prodigious White, but also giving muckraking journalists something else to write about other than the exploits of Jamie and his perpetually famous fiancé. The percussion found throughout Blood Pressures is far more intuitive than the synthetic rhythms Hince has produced in the past, while his deft guitar work is exuberant and vigorous where its needed, but scaled back and subdued when necessary. And while some longtime fans might label some of these new numbers as far too stifled and gentle for their tastes, there is a melodious tone to these tracks that is far more rewarding than the fuzzed-up affairs that colour the bands early albums.

For those searching for the high-octane thrills that The Kills have provided in the past should find plenty to get lost in here, especially on the blustery ‘Heart Is A Beating Drum’ (which shares a ping-pong-ball-like percussion with ‘Nail In My Coffin’), the simmering soul of ‘DNA,’ and the churning insistence of ‘You Don’t Own The Road.’ The band are clearly playing to their strengths on these tracks, but far from just repeatedly giving their fans what they have come to require or expect from the band, they are stretching out their sound and scope on this record, while taking plenty of chances, musically, in the process. And while the new songs on Blood Pressures don’t quite have the same immediate snap and seductiveness as their early work, they prove to be far more varied and enriching upon repeat listens. Hince and Mosshart have crafted a fully developed modern album that is a distinct, balanced blend of their constantly maturing worldview and their carefree, cocksure composure, resulting in an absorbing and enthralling addition to the Kills growing catalog that is surely bound to get your blood racing once again.