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The last six years have been a complete disaster for the Canadian band Nickelback.
Expected at the crossing by both the general audience and specialized critics after the unexpected success of the beautiful "All The Right Reasons" (eleven million copies sold and three high-charting singles in the USA, after the previous "The Long Road" had sold less than half of that "Silver Side Up" driven by the overused "How You Remind Me"), Chad Kroeger and company have released a couple of albums that are hair-pulling material (especially the last, the at least embarrassing "No Fixed Address") and undergone some misadventures such as Kroeger's severe vocal problems (meanwhile overexposed by a much-talked-about relationship with fellow Canadian Avril Lavigne).
All of this has contributed to an incredible wave of hate towards the honest Canadian combo, accused of having sold their soul to the most crass and commercial pop after their decidedly post-grunge beginnings and the turn between hard rock and metal of an underrated album like "The Long Road" (listen to "Because Of You" to believe).
The Canadians have always had a taste for ballads made for lighters (or, now, smartphones), and in truth, they reaffirm it even in this new "Feed The Machine," although interspersed with some volleys worthy of the old times.
The truth in the end is in the middle: Nickelback are neither Satan nor the new saviors of hard rock. They are excellent practitioners of pop rock with a great taste for catchy guitar riffs (the good guitarist Ryan Peake is fundamental in this respect), as is already clear from the opener, title track, and lead single "Feed The Machine": a truly inspired and powerful riff, the usual warm and raucous voice of Kroeger, and a couple of simple and effective tempo changes, and the job is done.
Even more biting is the following "Coin For The Ferryman," enriched by a splendid solo, just before the first ballad arrives (and, guess what? second single!) "Song Of Fire," heir to the various (and syrupy) "Far Away," "Savin' Me," "If Everyone Cared" and so on. It continues between rougher and mean moments ("Must Be Nice," between hard rock and a very diluted industrial, "For The River" and "Silent Majority") and moments of calm chiseled by ballads with a now-consolidated structure and atmosphere ("Home," perhaps the best, "After The Rain" and "Every Time We're Together" the most representative).
There's no lack of a two-part track (curiously named part one and part three), straddling rock and delicate instrumentals.
As mentioned, Nickelback is not the absolute evil: they are a band composed of good musicians who play solid, straightforward, and reassuring rock together. They do it well, and their craft is evident, almost a trademark by now. That they have gotten back on track is not a bad thing, perhaps by embracing their limits (as done in this record) they can reconcile at least with their historical audience, now the Canadian band's declared target.
Best track: Feed The Machine
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By splinter
The formula reveals itself once more as absolutely perfect; the listener is jolted from one mood and energetic intensity to another as if it were nothing.
Not to be taken as a work of art, no, but recommended to listen to when you’re in the mood for something carefree and light.
