With a few notable exceptions, indie bands seem to have arrived at a dead-end musically. So many now sound very similar and in a bid for mainstream airplay (and sales) risk and adventure have gone out of the window. By sharp contrast heavy rock bands seem more willing to fill the passion/emotion vacuum, and in song writing and performance terms, have the skills to deliver. What’s more they do it a way that younger people especially find inspiring and exciting to witness live. They find it easier to ‘trade down’ than indie bands find it to ‘trade up.’ Amongst the heavier rock bands, Chemical Romance, Green Day, Thrice, Nickelback, Disturbed, Funeral For A Friend, Bullet For My Valentine are a few examples of heavy rock bands who have crossed the pop sensability line  without actually compromising their sound, music or fanbase. In fact it could be argued that the injection of stronger melodies and heart-on-sleeve emotion has made them stronger, and in market terms, bigger.

The Used fit squarely and fairly into this category of heavy rock bands, and on the strength of this album could well match the success of some the biggest heavy rock bands around. They deserve to. Opening track, ‘Blood On My Hands’ exemplifies my point. It’s a meaty, hard rocker with a driving bass line, but with space for the vocal to breathe and be heard. The choruses are thunderous, the ambience is one of high emotion, and the melody is of monstrous proportions. It’s a stunner and makes its point in a way that Coldplay never could. ‘Empty With You’ illustrates how sonic adventure has crept in with the unusual keyboard/guitar strum opening passage. It introduces a quieter vocal passage before the chorus explodes out of the speakers. Now I’m beginning to see a pattern emerge -  diverse opening, strong melody, quiet vocal interlude, heavy choruses. And it works.

‘Born To Quit’ adopts the same formula and sound just as great. ‘Kissing You Goodbye’ is an example how a heavy rock band can take on and beat indie rockers with a totally beautiful, glacially paced love song. It has a superb melody, gorgeous multi-layered vocals, restrained instrumental arrangement, but retains that rock signature identity. It’s superb, and a song that I just don’t want to finish… The love song of the year? Then it’s back to hard rock heaven with the dark, moody and bold rhythmic ambience of ‘Sold My Soul.’ 5/5 so far.

‘Watered Down’ has another adventurous opening passage, and Spector-esque drum roll. It’s not the best song here by any means, but by general indie standards it’s a different story - craps all over ‘em. ‘Meant To Die’ is a meandering, reflective slam-dunk. ‘The Best Of Me’ enters with a long, ghostly instrumental passage before guitar riffs eventually beat down the door for Bert McCracken to give another mind-blowing vocal performance. The later guitar riffs sound like a gathering clouds that empty their load accompanied by the most extreme bursts of thunder and lightening. ‘Men Are All The Same’ takes a contemplative route with guitars and drums gathering speed and power underneath the vocal, before they errupt like an earthquake, then subside to re-emerge for the after-shock. It’s one of several standouts here.

Out of the eleven tracks here, there’s just one that falls below the mountain-high standard that’s been set by the others (and it ain’t that bad!). That’s what I call a great rock record, and without doubt one of my rock albums of the year.

4.5/5