Brand New is the Manny Pacquiao of music these days — pound for pound the best in the game at the moment. No one really knows how the band’s going to take care of business, but you can bet it’ll come out on top when all is said and done.

No two of Brand New’s four studio albums have sounded the same. Although this is much to the chagrin of some fans who have aligned themselves with one of these four releases more than the others, this irreverence for continuity is what keeps the band relevant. Brand New simply antagonizes its fans too much — whether it’s robbing them of their precious dollars or dismissing the calls for “Seventy Times 7” to be added to the set list — to let itself remain static from one release to the next.

This fact is what makes delving into the band’s latest release, “Daisy,” so exciting. It’s like not making a Christmas list and letting your family try to guess what you want. You have no clue what you’re getting into as you unwrap the presents. So what did we get?

“Daisy” greets us with the symphony of dissonance that comprises “Vices.” A short, ominous intro leads us into an explosion of sound — drums are pounding, feedback is spit out and lead singer Jesse Lacey bursts onto the scene screaming, proving Brand New is the best hardcore band that never was. The energy is riding high as Lacey continues with his screaming, and the instrumental effects keep the tension palpable.

All good things must end unfortunately, as “Vices” gives way to the lacking “Bed,” which proves to be a bit philosophical, as the song would make a good soundtrack to an afternoon nap. Lead single “At The Bottom” is a masterful piece of instrumental work, especially by guitarist Vin Accardi. The somber plucking throughout the verses meshes well with Lacey’s hushed vocals before both simultaneously erupt into a strong chorus, an old Brand New tactic. No one goes from soft vocals to an emotional scream better than Lacey.

“Gasoline” is where the album regains it’s footing, though. Heavy drums pound throughout and pace Lacey’s vocals as they assume a maniacal yelp.

The result is a forceful track that leads into the slow-paced “You Stole,” one of the more heartfelt tracks of the album, with some of Lacey’s finest lyrical work on display. Lines like “I wish my condition was new, but I’m old and rusty” and “If I’m a liar and you’re a thief / At least we both know where the other one sleeps,” are chilling in their frankness.

The darkness of tracks like “Be Gone” and “Daisy” make it clear that this is not a happy, party album. The jumps from contained frustration to all-out explosions of anger make the record sound like a journey through the mind of a man in the middle of a mental breakdown. “Daisy” is simply not an album that can be put on as background music — listening to it is an event. The twists and turns require focus to understand the genius behind them.

As “Noro” rounds out the album, it ends with Lacey chanting, “I’m on my way out,” and after the preceding tracks it appears that these lyrics were not thrown in haphazardly. Could this be the last we hear of Brand New or even possibly from Lacey himself? Unlikely. But if “Daisy” was to be the band’s last body of work, it would sure go down as one of the best.

After all, much like Manny Pacquiao, the members of Brand New are the champs.

Reach the reporter at jdfourni@asu.edu.