Gem Alert💎
In all seriousness, this is a solid album. It drags a bit in certain areas, and I think it’d do well with a wider range of vocal styles/inflections, but there isn’t a bad track on this album. The drumming and guitar work were decent, albeit not too special, and the vocals tie it all together nicely, consisting of mostly screams and growls. The standout element on this album is easily the riffs; they’ve got an awesome groove to them and are ridiculously heavy. The ... read more

This album is an absolute gem. I went in expecting a fairly generic Deftones clone, but this album shattered my expectations. Slapping the nu metal label on this album almost does a disservice, neglecting the industrial, shoegaze, and borderline prog undertones. Dreamy guitars and entrancing drumming establish a dark, foreboding atmosphere, and the vocals do a great job of tying it all together, ranging from soft whispers to gut-wrenching screams. There’s so much depth to each track. ... read more

A little monotonous at certain points, but the album is solid the entire way through. Lots of soaring riffs and energetic drumming complement the distinct vocals and ever-intriguing lyricism.
Best: Motor Spirit, Gila Monster, Flamethrower
Worst: Supercell

An absolute mishmash of musical styles and genres, and I have no idea how it works, but it does. There's a ton of sonic variety, featuring elements of funk, metal, hip-hop, and pop. I can't tell you how amazing the bass is on this album. Everything here meshes so well. It technically fits in the Nu-Metal genre, but it is entirely distinct from its contemporaries. An awesome listen for any fan of music.
Best: Vitamin, Idiot Box, A Certain Shade of Green, Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity ... read more

Pretty generic early 2000's rock/metal, but it's a solid listen. Some nice riffs throughout, solid vocals, and some really sick bass tones. Lyricism is spotty but gets the point across. Very top-heavy release though.
Best: Useless, Clean, Face Down, Nothing, Panic
Worst: Far Side, Whimper

It's by no means a polished release. It has incredibly poor audio quality, shaky vocals, and contains baffling songwriting and production choices. But there's something so endearing about this EP. More than any other Nickelback release, by far, this EP has character. It's hard to describe what genre this is; it's clearly rock/grunge adjacent, but there's a lot of jazz and fusion influence, especially in the drumming, notably on the tracks "Truck" and ... read more

The raw energy and bouncy melodies translate very well, especially on tracks like Aglet and Damn. The sound is unrefined in certain areas, but it's easy to look past when we're simply watching the very beginnings of a generational artist.

A few really solid tracks here, especially Bruises, Crashing, and Empty. They don't try and reinvent the wheel here; all of the songs I mentioned above aren't anything particularly groundbreaking but are still very enjoyable nu-metal tracks. Unfortunately, it seems like the rest of the album is just an uninspired reconstruction of these songs, and they fall flat. There aren't any horrible tracks here by any means, but there is next to no sonic variety. Every song carries the same ... read more

The title is a little suspect but lyrically doesn't involve anything weird. Thank goodness. It's actually about Chad arguing with his then girlfriend's parents to let her move out with him, and the emotional toll it took on him. The vocals are a little shaky at first, but when the hook kicks in, it's an absolute banger. The track opens with a cool, scuzzy riff, then kicks into the hook. You can't help but tap your toes. The solo is short and simple but really well ... read more

The State is by far Nickelback’s best album. While it lacks the studio sheen and production on later albums, The State delivers a punchy and dynamic track list with far more experimentation than any later album. The album opens with “Breathe,” which delivers a stomping drum performance by then drummer Ryan Vikedal, roaring drop C riffs, and desperate and powerful vocals from Chad Kroeger, which, within the context of the lyrics, culminates to create one of the best songs in ... read more

This album, in terms of production, is atrocious, and if that's something that's important to you, it's probably best you gave this one a skip. But I enjoy more raw, energetic albums that make you feel like you're hearing it played live, and it certainly delivers on that front. This album is by no means a masterpiece, but it has a certain charm to it, as well as a few solid tracks that manage to stand on their own. Most tracks are built around simple, punchy guitar riffs, ... read more