It’s not often a band can create a sound to call their own while remaining creatively agile, each proceeding record sounding unlike the last.

Switchfoot has taken a stab at this task throughout their careers, with varying levels of commercial success. 2003 saw “The Beautiful Letdown” top music charts across the country and some parts of the world in a wave of electric guitar riffs and catchy vocals. In 2005, the band went with a darker, more melancholic sound, with denser instrumentation on “Nothing Is Sound,” which was met with mixed reactions. Although it is arguably their best work amongst fans, few casual listeners agreed. The following album, “Oh! Gravity.,” veered a little too left of center for some fans of “Letdown” and “Sound.”

Nearly three years later, Switchfoot is back with their seventh studio album, “Hello Hurricane.” Operating under a newly gained independence from major label constraints, the band created this record in a seemingly ideal environment. Before long, however, the vast amounts of material they were allowed to create began to wear them down. Eventually, they arrived at the conclusion that “if you aren’t crying, why are you singing it?” Moving forward with this vision while signing on producer Mike Elizondo late in the process, Switchfoot finally found the songs that would best define who they are in this new era.

The resulting collection of tunes does not disappoint. The album opens with an ethereal guitar hook that echoes of an updated U2 in the track “Needle and a Haystack Life” And shocases lead singer Jon Foreman’s vocal versatility, from the low octave verses to the soaring Bono-esque chorus. It is a perfect opener for the record, packing enough atmospheric pulse to induce goose bumps in a listener.

The energy remains high in the second track, with the lead single “Mess of Me” dealing a raucous guitar riff, prefacing a bluesy rock vocal performance by Foreman, who stretches his voice to its limits during the bridge.

The next track, “Your Love Is a Song,” is an achingly beautiful tune. It sounds like the kind of pop ballad that graces the top of pop radio charts and is one of the better tracks on the record.

The pulsing beat of the sing-along, fist-pumping “The Sound” follows and is as aggressive as “Your Love Is a Song” is delicate, with an opening riff that distantly mirrors “Bodysnatchers” by Radiohead. But this is no abstract, artsy work –– it’s a pure rocker. Lyrically, the song is challenging, directing attention to the fact that this nation is haunted by its past hatred, but that “there is no sound louder than Love,” a testament to the redemption that can be found through unconditional, transcendent love.

Following along those lines, “Enough to Let Me Go” is a relaxed pop song about the difficulties of love between two people and the give-and-take that needs to happen in any relationship.

Next up, “Free” is a hard-nosed rocker that will probably be a crowd-favorite when played live. The title track then leads listeners into the second half of the record, acting like a declaration to the storms that howl through our lives and is the theme for the whole album: “hello hurricane, you’re not enough … you can’t silence my love.”

The ballad “Always” is reminiscent of “Dare You to Move” in tempo and lyrical bent, with the opening line “This is the start, this is your heart, this is the day you were born” strikingly resembling the famous “welcome to the planet” line that opens the band’s previous hit. Familiarity aside, it is a welcome addition to the track list no doubt.

“Bullet Soul” turns up the volume once again, featuring the crunching guitars that have slowly become Switchfoot’s trademark sound over the years. The record closes with the reflective “Yet,” the haunting “Sing It Out,” and the simple, yet charming “Red Eyes.”

The record is solid, with some of the songs instantly accessible. Overall, “Hello Hurricane” will take a few listens to get used to, but the returns will be well worth your while. The “Hurricane” arrives Nov. 10.