The Used

After being labeled for years as emo, screamo and every other rhyming variation of the genre, The Used got tired of it. Like Weezer did with “Pinkerton” and Nirvana did with “In Utero,” The Used desired a unique, gritty new sound. Now, the Utah quartet has come up with a new genre that it feels more comfortable falling under: “Gross pop.”

“What do we want when we go into the studio? We want something kind of gross-sounding, but kind of poppy,” explains drummer Dan Whitesides. “Someone said ‘gross pop.’ And it just stuck.”

Although the group’s new musical movement has “pop” in the title, its pop sensibilities have all but disappeared on its new album, “Artwork.” The catchy hooks and anthemic choruses of songs like “The Taste of Ink” (2002) and “All That I’ve Got” (2004) have been replaced by swelling darkness and hard rock brutality. This move has garnered extremely mixed reviews and has irked some of the band’s passionate fans who yearn for something familiar.

“We talk to people that are like, ‘I liked your first stuff. You should write another (album like your self-titled debut).’ Why the hell would we do that? We’ve already done that,” Whitesides says.

Many fans speculated that The Used was exchanging its signature hardcore screams for a gloomier sound because lead vocalist Bert McCracken could no longer endure his singing style after undergoing surgery to remove a node from his vocal chords. Whitesides, however, insists that is not the case.

“We wanted a pretty raw, heavy record because that’s where our backgrounds are from. It’s just progression,” he says.

No song from “Artwork” is heavier than the opening track, “Blood On My Hands.” Accompanied by Whitesides’ power drumming and metal guitar riffs and bass lines reminiscent of Killswitch Engage, McCracken sings, “There’s blood on my hands like the blood in you/Some things can’t be treated so ... don’t make me be myself around you.”

The music video for “Blood On My Hands” offers some dark imagery, as well. In the video, McCracken is a suspected serial killer who is sentenced to death, even though one of the men he strangled was a suspected pedophile.

Whitesides says the song’s concept is simple: Everyone has a dark side.

“Do you really want to know the real me? Because I guarantee you’re not going to like it,” he says.

In general, the rest of the songs from “Artwork” delve into other dark issues. McCracken, who previously lived a reckless life of drug abuse, recently came to terms with how easily death can creep up on anyone. Heath Ledger’s shocking death opened his eyes. Whitesides says the song “Meant to Die” is loosely based on Ledger’s last moments.

Meanwhile, “On The Cross” is inspired by the group’s religious rebellion. McCracken grew up in the heavily Mormon community of Orem, Utah, and “On The Cross” is a shot at some of the religious fanatics of said community.

Whitesides says that the album covers a variety of the band’s frustrations.

“It’s about living and about dying. It’s about hating yourself and not letting someone get to know the real person. Each song is different.”

The Used will perform at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Beaumont Club along with The Almost and Drive A. And even though the group is pushing its heavier brand of “gross pop,” Whitesides says The Used will play about five songs from each of its five studio albums.

So fans can get a “Taste of Ink” even if they aren’t seeing The Used they fell in love with.