Hoobastank's third studio recording, Every Man for Himself, is energetic but unsurprising.
It offers some good rock tracks (Born to Lead, Inside of You, Look Where We Are) and angst-ridden power ballads (Moving Forward, The First of Me).
Most of the songs are about the dilemmas and frustrations you experience when going through change. But they also carry the underlying message that people should do something to accomplish their dreams instead of sitting back and waiting for them to come true.
Opener Born to Lead kick-starts the album with the barking of a drill sergeant and relentless guitar riffs.
But the album goes downhill from there with featureless tracks and forgettable melodies. Without a Fight has all the elements of a typical rock tune - explosive drums, loud guitar riffs and the occasional scream - but rock songs like this are a dime a dozen.
The only interesting piece is closing track More than a Memory, a seven-minute song featuring flutes, chimes, trumpets and even an accordion.
