Returning from a yearlong hiatus during which bandleader Mari Calip Scott got married and had a baby girl, bubbly pop-rockers MariZen (which are completed by guitarist Mike Greene, bassist Chris Shen and drummer Marty Kane) are gearing up to release a new album called "When the Sun Goes Down" this fall, the latest entry in discography that also includes a glossy album, "Field," released in 2004 and recorded with a producer, DeWayne Barron, who also worked with Matchbox 20.

At its best, the group conveys a New Wave sneer and icy sexuality reminiscent of Blondie or the Cranberries, though it can also veer a little too close to Pat Benatar's cheesier metal side. Hopefully, producer Marc McClusky has toned that down on the new disc and emphasized the band's strengths; the demos posted on its MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/marizen, bode well in that regard. You can also keep track of the group's upcoming live schedule at www.marizen.com.