Album Review: Nickelback – Feed the Machine (Republic Records)

The 9th album, Feed the Machine, from stadium filling rock band, Nickelback is out now via Republic Records.

Ah, Nikelback…the band everyone loves to hate. The worst band in the world in many people’s eyes but also one of the most successful (they’ve sold a ton of records). Having never been a fan it comes as something of a surprise that the opening album song, Feed the Machine, off their 9th album of the same name has quite a heavy riff & slamming beat. Even Chad Kroger’s vocals have a bit of spit & fire to them.

It’s a decent opener even if it does play it safe during the chorus.

Unfortunately it takes a bit of a nosedive afterwards with the boring, Coin for the Ferryman & Song on Fire. The former has a nice hard rock patter going on but it’s got no final blow while the latter dials things down to sputter out a melodic soft track with little else to it.

Must Be Nice’s terrible vocal effects detract from what are some decent riffs & a well-done solo before After the Rain serves as a fantastic reminder of just how awful Nickelback can be. Utterly devoid of life. It’s so frustrating as up to this point there was a solid argument for Feed the Machine bring at least a decent listen. These two songs destroyed all of that!

I’d love to say that things get better but they don’t. Now here’s the thing, the hard rock style, when it’s present, is perfectly good. There’s some banging moments throughout Feed the Machine but far too often it’s wrapped up in a song that lacks energy & excitement.

Far too many times Nickelback drop the heavier riffs & beats & resort back to a sound that most people are used to hearing from them. Home & Every Time We’re Together are the most Nickelback songs ever, that should be enough to turn most people off.

The harder rock sound returns for The Betrayal (Act III) & once again Nickelback prove that they can write heavy riffs when they want too. Unfortunately it’s not enough as the song (and the following) just lack ‘oomph’. Perfectly solid but incredibly forgettable.

Is it a bad album? No way. It’s got some unexpected songs & some pretty good riffs but once it slips back into what makes Nickelback…well, Nickelback, it loses most of its appeal.

Nickelback – Feed the Machine Overall Track Listing:

1. Feed the Machine
2. Coin for the Ferryman
3. Song on Fire
4. Must be Nice
5. After the Rain
6. For the River
7. Home
8. The Betrayal (Act III)
9. Silent Majority
10. Every Time We’re Together
11. The Betrayal (Act I)

You can check the album out yourself via Apple Music below.