The Used

"Imaginary Enemy"

Label: GAS Union Records

The Used is a band that have a cult following. The Utah based act, have been playing music since 2001. They've created a sound that could be perceived as revolutionary, a sound that falls into the emo bracket. Now the act is back, painting the walls with statements. Their new record Imaginary Enemy on GAS Union Records blasts the doors off the hinges. It's loud and unapologetic, dangerous and brutal. It has a political slant. Front man Bert McCracken sings with sneers that are pointed at the system.

But, is this record their best? It might be to the diehard fans that have been there from the glory days. It has those songs that'll please, but there is some that just flap around like a frightened bird. I'm not saying that the album is terribly mundane, it's okay, and it has beats that will keep your heart entertained.

Politics might not be the best topic for the band to vent their anger. This album isn't Green Day's American Idiot, there isn't a song on the record that replicates that powerful album. But there is a political lining that is exposed. McCracken's lyrics are always dark and fuelled with depressive strikes, he puts them down and spews them from a mind that is littered with despair.

The songs that have the most appeal are "Cry," "Generation Throwaway," "Evolution," "Kenna Song" and "Overdose." These are the types of tracks that keep the album from sinking. But, on the other hand, there is contributions that falter. You might pick them out and redirect back to the better tracks. Even though there is filler. The guitar beats hard with simple riffs, the vocals aren't lost, and they’re clear with clarity.

The Used is a band that are trying to be the spokespeople for this generation, with an album that tries to drive home a revolution, but I'm afraid it falls short.