Almost every band member, while slaving away in the garage, dreams of one day being on a massive tour with literally thousands of people focusing on him work the stage like a possessed madman. In a hit-or-miss music industry that for some reason doesn't believe in artist development anymore, you either connect or you don't. Magna-Fi was one of the lucky few to live its dream in the summer of 2004, traveling with a mad circus known as Ozzfest, assaulting audiences from one town to the next with a sound and attitude all its own.

Rising from the rock 'n' roll capital of Cleveland, Magna-Fi surfaced with an album that has a little bit of everything for everybody, proving it's possible to be heavy and have an attitude without sacrificing melody and musical hooks. Composed of the Szuters - C.J. holding down lead guitar with brother Mike handling vocals and rhythm guitar duties - the pair recruited bassist Rob Kley and drummer Charlie Smaldino to provide the driving beat that is as solid as anything else out there.

Like most new bands with debut CDs, Magna-Fi is as frustrated as the next up-and-coming group. Maybe lack of attention or advice fueled "Burn Out The Stars." All 10 tracks give the impression these band members know exactly what we all feel like. They understand frustration, loneliness and whatever comes with living life one day at a time. Standouts like "Where Did We Go Wrong," "Down In It" and "This Life" prove that Magna-Fi is not stuck in one specific category. These guys can write a ballad or a track worthy of pumping your fist in the air.

With radio play of its music starting to catch on and the road quickly becoming home, Magna-Fi earned the opportunities of a lifetime - first Ozzfest and then a hook up with Iowa favorite Sevendust and Bobaflex. All the stories and experiences with their musical peers will most likely affect the band members' songwriting in the future. In fact, the group is already hard at work crafting a follow-up, tentatively titled "Verse, Chorus, Kill Me".

Craig Laue is a midday on-air personality for Rock 108.