Millencolin
Machine 15

It was one of the most anticipated releases of the year, at least for me, from the Swedish group, who this year released the new "Machine 15" following the excellent "Kingwood".

There were many expectations to see if Millencolin would continue on the path paved by their predecessor or venture into new incursions or sonorities. Well, the change has happened and quite noticeably with the recent album. The director behind this shift (we'll go into detail shortly) is certainly the producer they've chosen, Lou Giordano, who had also worked with them during the "Home From Home" era and collaborated with various artists like Taking Back Sunday and Plain White T's among others.

Before diving into the musical ocean, it must be said (and those who have followed the group from the beginning can confirm), that the guys from Orebro rarely tend to repeat themselves and create two identical or similar albums in a row. In fact, a quality of theirs, unlike many other bands that tend to repeat themselves ad infinitum, is their ability to change, turn, and evolve throughout their career which began in the early '90s.

Personally, I was curious about what they would manage to produce this time, given that they have experimented with everything from their ska-punk beginnings to powerful melodic hardcore ("Life On A Plate" and "For Monkeys"), to more recent melodic rock and punk sounds ("Home From Home" and "Pennybridge Pioneers"). The answer is clear from the start: forget and remove from the ear the punk rock and hc sounds of "Kingwood" to land in pure pop-punk territories with more rock undertones. And it is precisely the opener and title track "Machine 15" that immediately clarifies the album's coordinates: catchy (even a bit too much) and rhythmic pop-punk. The same standards can be found in the lead single "Detox", which is neither fish nor fowl, meaning it will appeal to potential new fans, while leaving the fan base indifferent.

Personal judgment from someone who doesn't disdain pop-punk? It's neither "Fox" nor "Penguins & Polarbears" nor even "No Cigar".

"Done Is Done" and "Visious Circle" bring a notable breath of fresh air: mostly rock rhythms, soft and visceral singing, and catchy choruses. Note the violins and hard-rock breaks in the first, while the second is opened by the acoustic guitar (the second song ever after "The Ballad" where the group resorts to acoustics). These are among the best tracks, whereas the dishonor goes to the blatant "Broken World" (with inappropriate choirs), and to the brit pop rhythms of "Come On", (complete with riffing that sounds like the electrified version of Green Day's "Warning" acoustic riff), those which could have gladly been omitted.

After a not-so-exciting first part, the second begins (connected to the first by a short instrumental piece "Centerpiece"), and here we finally at times find the Millencolin we saw in the past.

Unsurprisingly, the peak of the album is precisely "Who's Laughing Now", the track that most closely approaches old sounds, alongside the other engaging and carefree "Danger For Stranger", and finally brings the speed that was missing throughout the album. "Ducks And Drakes" (yet another saga at the level of animal titles!) is a fairly static and melancholic song relatable to rock.

The preview track from the album (which could be listened to on their MySpace before the album's release) was "Brand New Game", which is enjoyable in its rock melodic nature unlike the first single. This track, not coincidentally, somewhat describes the various characteristics and peculiarities that are then found throughout the musical journey. "Turnkey Paradise" is instead somewhat the emblem of the new Millencolin album.

The closing is entrusted to a mid-ballad "Saved By Hell", very sweet, where the solo stands out, otherwise, nothing exhilarating (we are far from the romantic expressiveness of "The Ballad"). On the tail of the lavish parade of floats, there's an instrumental piece with a telling title: "End Piece".

It's good to also make some considerations at the technical/instrumental level. Nikola's voice, while remaining inimitable in its interpretation, now sounds much softer, losing a bit of the energy of past years. The guitars are decidedly less gritty and most importantly, forget about Larzon behind the drums who used to hit hard providing speed and vibrant rhythms to splendid tracks like "Biftek Supernova", "Buzzer" or "Lozin' Must".

Indeed, the speed combined with the dirty and gritty distortions is the key element missing from the album, made such by a more polished production that penalizes the sounds. If "Kingwood" was partly a pleasant return to the past, this is more oriented towards the future, although in truth, we had heard certain atmospheres on the splendid "Pennybridge Pioneers". It's just a shame, as already mentioned, that there is an absence of those great hits from the past. The rock part is much more convincing than the more playful compositions which, except for a few tracks, are too sticky to be part of an album signed Millencolin.

An album honestly hard to judge, that barely reaches a pass, unfortunately lacking impact and speed in multiple episodes. It will appeal more to newcomers to the genre than to old fans who might be left unsatisfied and disappointed.

 Instead, those who don't know them and want to listen should make a nice turn to "Kingwood", which is perfect for starting.