Doomed romance and tragic archetypes populate Thornhill’s drama-packed second album. Inspired by classic Hollywood films, the Melbourne metalcore quintet doubles down on the cinematic scope of 2019’s The Dark Pool. The monster riffs and soaring choruses are still there, but Heroine smooths out some of the band’s knottier turns and highlights a broader range of touchstones. Vocalist Jacob Charlton drew inspiration from Elvis to reach new levels of vocal expression, while “Arkangel” splices the DNA of TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the Greek myth of Icarus. With those expanded influences come adventurous new sounds, like the woozy trip-hop of “Valentine” and the reeling strings and falsetto of “Blue Velvet.” Guitarist/producer Ethan McCann also bolsters Charlton’s far-reaching vocal performances with vivid layers of effects. Observe the singer’s distorted snarl on “Casanova”—a song about resisting the gravitational pull of new romance—and the thunderous instrumental churn anchoring the tale of divided love in “Hollywood.”