New York ? There’s something to be said about a heavy, dark alt-metal band releasing an album with a hopeful title and even more hopeful lyrics.

But that’s what Taproot does: the unexpected.

They did it when they opted to forgo a recording contract with Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst. They did it with their second album and the surprise hit single “Poem.” Now they’re doing it again with “Blue Sky Research,” released Tuesday, featuring songs written with the very un-metal likes of Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins fame.

“That’s just the way we do things,” Taproot frontman Stephen Richards recently told The Associated Press during an interview at Manhattan’s famed Katz’s Deli.

Over plates of hot dogs and bowls of soup, the foursome from Ann Arbor, Mich., talked about their new songs, which reflect the lessons learned since their 2000 major-label debut, “Gift.” The album received little radio support, but the band gained national attention for a run-in with Durst – who left a nasty message, which is unprintable here, on Richards’ answering machine after the band signed with Atlantic Records rather Durst’s fledgling label.

Music group Taproot, from left, Phil Lipscomb, Mike DeWolf, Stephen Richards and Jarrod Montague have released a new album titled Blue

On their second album, “Welcome,” they produced songs with melodies and harmonies that landed in Billboard’s Top 20. But with “Blue Sky Research,” the band has intentionally stepped out of its comfort zone, embracing songwriting.

Richards, 27, said the band intended to head back into the studio with 20 or so songs to chose from. When it was all over, they had more than 80 songs, and none of their earlier material made the album.

“The new material blew the other stuff away,” Richards said.

Part of the reason was their desire to collaborate with different producers, including Corgan.

“With Billy Corgan, you try this, you try that,” said guitarist Mike DeWolf, 26. “It was definitely inspiring.” The sessions with Corgan produced three key songs: “Lost in the Woods,” “Violent Seas” and “Promise.”

“Lost In the Woods” best shows the band’s evolution. “Our final exam – transfer it into a Taproot song,” said drummer Jarrod Montague, 29.

The final version of the song, Richards says, is 90 percent Taproot. The share co-writing credit with Corgan.

The band shrugs off concerns that fans may see the music as “selling out.”

“No matter what you do, people are going to say you sold out,” said bassist Phil Lipscomb, 28. “But you can’t worry about what some people say. But hopefully we can make some music that people enjoy.”