Ever-so-Android’s new record, Disconnect, is a series of battle cries. They’re aggressive, passionate songs where banshee front woman Hope Simpson wails over jagged sonic landscapes laid out by electric guitarist Drew Murray. The duo, who’ve been together since 2011, charge forward in search of new game and new territory on each track of the record, the first since their 2013 self-titled EP.

Bolstered by instrumentation for shows by drummer Ben Hillzinger and bassist Ian Forrester, ESA’s live performances aim to override audiences with a carnal thrust. This same mood lives and breathes on Disconnect and is most evident on “Leash,” which begins with a brooding rhythm from Murray. Simpson leaps onto the song, slicing her way toward the catchy chorus, singing, “Give me all your freedom! Give me all your time!” It’s as if the two are even battling each other, like rams, to see who’s most brash.

Disconnect is a big leap forward from the first release of the band, whose noted influences are The Kills and Die Antwoord. The record has weathered tug and grit, compared to their more youthful first attempt. Simpson’s voice is deeper, raspier, more confident. It carries her lyrics like a steed with flared nostrils, not a timid foal. Murray, too, has matured, making swords from old daggers. The song “Already Gone” pulses like a hiphop beat and shreds like heavy metal. “Better Days” swaggers like a boss in the jail yard. “How High” is right out of the lineage of the White Stripes or the Black Keys, but is more distorted than anything Dan Auerbach has released in years.

ESA’s 2015 album is flush with heavy chords, bright, sharp licks and, above all else, muscle. But the duo also makes room to spread out some, like on “Good Intentions,” where Simpson’s voice is filled with vibrato. “You’ve always- you’ve always been wrong,” she moans. Murray plays the role of blues guitarist here, making enough space for the heart to sink.

The record ends on a playful note, however. The final track, “Learn To Crawl,” is a mix of Weezer and Pink, an exhale in tone after the band has gone through so much trouble charging forward for new ground. It’s like the final scene of a film where the king and queen, victorious at last, get to share a knowing smile before delving into the spoils of war.