Lullabies to Paralyze” is the newest album from Queens of the Stone Age, and it rocks.

Released on March 22, this album marks the band’s fourth full-length record and their first since 2002’s “Songs for the Deaf,” with which the group gained much recognition, making them Interscope’s hottest.

In “Lullabies to Paralyze,” Bassist Nick Oliveri has left the group, and Dave Grohl and Mark Lanegan have returned to their own projects, leaving Josh Homme as the sole original member.

So what, let them leave. Homme has outdone himself by producing an album that seriously kicks butt from beginning to end.

Homme has moved on with “Lullabies to Paralyze” and combined a talented group, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Troy Van Leeuwen and Alain Johannes and drummer Joey Castillo.

This is a really great album to listen to in the car. It gets you pumped.

The intro track, “This Lullaby,” features Lanegan, who returned as a guest, using his somber vocals to provide a good connection between the sounds of the old and new QOTSA. The song is a nice slow start, and really sounds like a lullaby.

Then, the album begins to speed up, and you remember why you like QOTSA so much.

QOTSA’s front man has maintained his reputation as an admirer of heavy riffs, and picks up the pace early in the album with powerful, fast-paced rock songs like “Medication” and “Everybody Knows That You Are Insane.”

“Tangled Up in Plaid” is my personal favorite. This is the band at their best. They start slow and melancholic and then unleash rock heaven with heavy, powerful and dirty guitars. And Homme’s vocals are simply awesome. Listen to it once and you will be rocking out immediately.

The next track is “Burn the Witch,” where Lanegan and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons appear and help provide funky, medium speed rock with attitude. Gibbons’ guitars add a classic rock mood to the song. Listening to this song makes you want to get down and dirty. The wild twang of the guitars is reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix’s style of playing.

Undoubtedly, “In My Head” contains the signature sound of QOTSA, carrying an introductive heavy bass chord, and flashing a very catchy chorus: “I keep on playing our favorite song/ I turn it up while you’re gone/ it’s all I got when you’re in my head/ and you’re in my head, so I need it.”

This is a song that you can listen to when you want to get pumped up.

Although many would say that it is impossible for Homme to top the band’s previous album, I disagree.

He has definitely moved on and formed a powerful group, and with much success he has produced an album that even surpasses its predecessor.