Nico Vega and its fist-pumping new sound

Looked in on Nico Vega at Spaceland on Monday night. They are the local trio that first sparked a buzz in early 2006 with a raw and powerful sound built on the soulful yowl of Aja Volkman. Now the band has nearly sewn up a deal with MySpace Records.

But how things have changed. The new material that I imagined a year and a half ago might turn out enduring as well as commercial instead is thrashy and repetitive, all but wasting its singer's pipes (but not, it should be pointed out, her vamping and estimable energy and charisma onstage). The band and its substantial crowd -- the place was packed even before headliner Low Vs Diamond kicked off its residency -- were exuberant, however, even if to some in the wings it didn't seem that far from the rap-metal that emptied kegs at college parties not too many years ago.

During one chorus I heard as "kick it in, kick it in, kick it in, kick it in," I wondered, though: Didn't Arsenio Hall have that fist-pump trademarked?

As always, your mileage may vary.

Photo: Nico Vega's Aja Volkman starts Monday's set off slowly.