Particle is back in State College tonight, but Penn State students who haven't seen or heard the band since the last time it came to town may be in for a surprise.

After five years as a solo-heavy, four-piece instrumental group, Particle parted ways with its guitarist and brought in two new ones, Ben Combe and Scott Metzger, after a four-month search.

The group has been on tour as a five-piece band since February.

Metzger said the addition of Combe and himself allowed Particle "to keep its high intensity with new and more interesting angles."

"Adding vocals makes for a wider range of emotion and storytelling," he said.

Metzger, who was brought up in the same town as the band Ween, said he grew up with that school of thinking, but came to Particle hoping to expand himself musically.

"I've never been a guy who's happy playing in one style," he said. "I'm a guy who tries to see where he can go with his music. [Particle and I] had great chemistry right away. It was obvious immediately how I would fit in with them."

Particle bassist Eric Gould said he supported this viewpoint.

"[Metzger] comes from a rock 'n' roll background," Gould said. "He wanted to expand himself, and Particle is a great place to do it. He brings in his songs and integrates his style, and he expands on it with his guitar."

Gould said that the other newcomer, guitarist and singer Combe, had a style more familiar to Particle fans.

"[Combe] comes from more of a jam-band scene," Gould said. "His guitar playing takes you on a journey fans of Particle will appreciate. You feel like you've been somewhere when you're done [listening]."

Overall, Gould said he was very happy with Particle's new additions.

"Some musicians are just out there for playing music, but some are out there to really work hard every day and constantly push to create something new," he said. "The new guys really get the path of the journey we're on."

The new guitarists weren't the only band members for whom Gould had words of praise. He said that keyboardist Steve Molitz, who typically has nine keyboards on stage with him at a given time, "is constantly changing it up and showing his vigor."

Gould said that Particle drummer Darren Pujalet is the backbone of the band. "[Pujalet] is the roots of the tree that holds down the band while the rest of us branch out musically," Gould said.

Pujalet said he had a different metaphor to describe his role in the band.

"As a drummer, you are the canvas, and that allows the melody makers of the band to paint with their music and fill in the picture," he said.

Pujalet also said he was very happy with the band's new sound.

"It has a greater dynamic range," he said. "The vocals add a bit of a softer side and open up more possibilities. We haven't lost intensity, but we're not the 100-percent-pure-testosterone style we used to be. We still have energy, but it's better balanced."

Gould said that the "new" Particle had more of a full sound that came from playing together as a unit and from "more harmony, unity and common vision."

"The older songs were instrumental explorations...," he said. "We were stuck on basing the music off of someone soloing. Now, people lead, but no one ever steps up and says, 'I'm soloing.' There's a lot less ego, and the band is really greater than the sum of its parts."

Gould said that live shows are the zenith of the Particle experience. "We really love playing this music and showing it to people," he said. "We're not afraid to show people our stuff. That's what it's about. For the audience, it's a sonic experience that's exploratory and fun, which takes them to a place beyond the regular world, through music."