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Twenty years ago, The Used was brought to life and have since released a collection of albums that shaped the space of the alternative rock scene. High energy live shows, gut wrenching relatable lyrics, and melodies that blended pop sensibility and hard rock was the perfect combination to make an everlasting impression on fans globally. Heartwork is the Orem, Utah hard rockers' eighth studio album. Heartwork reunites the band with longtime producer John Feldmann (Good Charlotte, Blink-182, Story of the Year) who's collaborated on six albums from The Used and features lead tracks "Blow Me" and "Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton."
Frontman Bert McCracken shares, "The new album plays on the emotions, the sincerity, and the vulnerability of the first record and In Love and Death, with a little bit of the flair from Lies for the Liars. Standing in the streaming circle pit with Kesha and Halsey, the album is just as modern sounding. John Feldmann's production is that professional. It sounds really good. Those are two really random examples, but I think if you listen to both of those records, the songs are all over the place: dance, pop, actual punk rock riffs and drums. I think music is so all over the place right now that The Used fits in perfectly."
"I've always been a bit obsessed with Paradise Lost," explains McCracken on "Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton": "I really dug deep into the poem and its author, John Milton. As I was reading a lot of his political essays I realized that a lot of what 'Satan' says in Paradise Lost are quotes directly from John Milton's own mouth. A lot of people thought he was the devil back then. He had a huge problem with the show of opulence from the Church. He thought it was disgusting. His poem is about the failed revolution against the Church of England, which is Satan's failed revolution on earth. And what's more incredible or exciting than a failed revolution?"