Nickelback
The State

THE REVIEW

In the autumn of 2001, the radio charts were shaken by a semi-hit titled "How You Remind Me" by a band called Nickelback. I immediately told myself I never wanted to hear about these guys again because I hate earworms that annoy you to death with how often they're played on the radio (now I have no reason to complain because on the radio I only follow Zoo 105, Rock FM, or soccer matches if I'm traveling) and they manage to make you curse songs and artists who might even be good or deserve to be listened to.

Despite everything, I saw the video for "Too Bad" on MTV (I was fifteen at the time). Not bad, I thought. After purchasing "Silver Side Up," which I didn't dislike at all, I decided to find out what they were like before their success. So, I bought "The State" and was very surprised to hear that it seemed like a rawer, but no less charming version of "Silver Side Up". I must say I liked them immediately, even with the release of "The Long Road" because despite their success, they stayed true to their rock roots without selling out too much (except for the singles, which have become increasingly weak with each release). Even though "Silver Side Up" remains my favorite, I see "The State" on the same level as "The Long Road" in opposite positions. Let me explain.

With "The Long Road," we're a step below "Silver Side Up" (which I believe represents their peak) but on the decline, while with "The State," we're in full creative mode that will lead to the maturation of their sound to its fullest on the next album. The CD opens with a classic gut-punch to immediately grab your attention, as is the case in all their works. "Breathe" takes off like a rocket and doesn't even give you time to think before it gets you moving. While this can be an advantage, it might overshadow the subsequent tracks, making them seem less vibrant. Fortunately, the dip in energy here is cushioned with "Cowboy Hat", an engaging track that has, however, lost the explosive energy of the initial opener. Then comes "Leader of Men" (which I prefer in the acoustic version that concludes the album), a beautiful ballad that helps to calm things down a bit. The following "Old Enough" tries to reignite the album, which hits its stride best with "Worthy to Say", the best track on the album that drags you along and calms down like the spirit of a young man filled with rage but who suppresses it and lets it burn inside.

The gritty "Diggin' This" seems to want to shake up the CD, but track number seven "Deep", manages to calm it down with its heavy yet mellow rhythm. The shake reemerges with "One Last Run", whose pace gives the impression of running and increasing fatigue. "Not Leavin' Yet" is quite nice but feels somewhat déjà vu. "Hold Out Your Hand" has a heavy and well-paced rhythm with a vague Middle Eastern flavor. Chad Kroeger, the leader and singer of the Texan group, wrote all the beautiful lyrics on this album and has a great voice that blends well with the offered genre, sounding very versatile and powerful. The artwork is fairly simple, nothing exciting, and noticeably inferior to the subsequent ones. A classic Nickelback album.

For those who know them, perhaps they already know what to expect since they are always faithful to themselves. Whether this can be seen as an advantage or disadvantage is up for you to decide. The choice is yours.

P.S.: I haven't included comparisons with similar groups such as Creed because I've never listened to their works. This is a gap that I'm trying to fill these days by listening to their albums. Anyone wishing to express judgments is invited to do so in the comments. Thank you.