SINGAPORE - Vancouver-based hitmakers Nickelback have - in spite of their success - attained the unwanted status of being one of the most maligned rock bands out there for the perception that the band’s work is derivative, formulaic, repetitive and utterly lacking in innovation whatsoever. Perhaps this new album is perfectly positioned to address some of these criticisms. Judging from the opening twin attack of Million Miles An Hour and Edge Of A Revolution, it may be time for haters to re-consider their aversion to Nickelback. Both numbers demonstrate an approach to tighten up the Nickelback formula with metallic guitar thrusts and a muscular rhythm section that maintains an irresistible groove. Don’t expect Nickelback to sound like Rage Against The Machine but there are certain parallels - as flimsy a premise as that may seem. Elsewhere on the album, the band does revert to type (the risible What Are You Waiting For? and Make Me Believe Again the classic examples) but there is enough “experimentation”, such as on the Chic-channelling She Keeps Me Up and the dirty blues of Get ‘Em Up to keep things interesting.