Despite being easily one of the most successful punk bands to come from Isreali soil, USELESS ID have always seemed to live a little under the mainstream radar, never quite matching the success of their US counterparts. This, however, doesn’t mean that they’re not well loved, and releasing through Fat Wreck for the first time with album seven, ‘Symptoms’ marks a significant step up for the band.
Landing four years after last full-length proper ‘The Lost Broken Bones’, this album has been a long time coming, and, thankfully, it’s well worth the wait. The songwriting throughout is excellent, and it picks up almost directly from where the last record left off.
At a rough mid point between MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK, BAD RELIGION and HOT WATER MUSIC, USELESS ID sound dark, urgent and energetic, and each of the album’s 12 tracks are highly listenable. The band’s sound isn’t one that should stand apart from any of its influences, but the fine balance of styles gives them a unique edge, and songs like ‘Manic Depression’ and ‘Normal With You’ really are a great listen.
‘Symptoms’ may not sit particularly well with fans of the band’s Kung Fu Records days in the same way as ‘The Lost Broken Bones’ didn’t, but the crossover appeal USELESS ID have here means that may not matter all too much. For a band approaching its 20th anniversary, USELESS ID still sound like they still care greatly for the music they’re making, and that keeps the record sounding fresh and interesting.
As well as the two previously mentioned tracks, opener ‘Live Or Die’ and ‘Normal With You’ are the highlights of the record, with ‘Manic Depression’ carrying the best chorus of the twelve tracks.
If you’ve been a fan of the band before, or like your pop-punk with an aggressive and dark edge, then ‘Symptoms’ might just be right up your street. It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but there’s enough quality here to consider it worth a listen for anyone who enjoys pop-punk or punk-rock.
TOM AYLOTT