Outside of Limp Bizkit and Slipknot, is there any band that inspires more loathing and condemning from the music listening public than Nickelback? Is it because of the group’s insanely over-played radio singles? Chad Kroeger’s thick-as-mercury voice? His hair? Why the embittered feelings of contempt people? Even after hearing the wretched lead single "Someday" from the band’s latest album, The Long Road, wasn’t enough to dampen my curiosity of Nickelback. Looking around the rock music scene these days, the options for the genre’s fans are disappointingly bleak. That, combined with my hearing the disc’s barbaric third single, "Never Again", convinced me that there is enough strength in Nickelback’s sound to warrant a trip to the local music store. If you consider yourself a wise shopper, you’ll ignore the band’s dreadful reputation and give them an honest chance. I’ll wager dollars to donuts that you just might like what you hear on Silver Side Up.

The aforementioned brute Never Again crashes the gate in spectacular fashion. With a pummeling ferocity that makes an atomic bomb look tame, this may be the hardest rocking song of 2001. Kroeger’s anger about domestic abuse comes to the forefront over a wall of slamming guitar riffs, and an oozing bass during the verses. Almost worth purchasing the album on the power of this track alone, it’s that good. Every radio programmer on the continent should be familiar with the tasteful lead single, How You Remind Me. It’s nothing fancy, just pure, energetic rock, done right. Like a lot of the CD’s material, the common theme here is a relationship that is gradually wasting away. The appropriately melodic verses are complemented by a driving chorus that’s got some serious bite to it.

A metallic, almost poppy hook unleashes Woke Up This Morning, another fine tune. The repetitive broken love story continues, this time with brief interludes of distorted vocals to spice things up. Too Bad details the hardships of rural life, as a family struggles unremittingly against all obstacles. The meaty chorus ramps up the burning intensity, balancing Ryan Vikedal’s rhythmic drumming with Ryan Peake’s trampling riffs. The vicious, sadistic Just For showcases Kroeger’s nihilistic lyrics of an irate ex-lover in the lines, "I want to take his eyes out/ Just for looking at you/ Yes I do!". The slam-bang instrumentation helps keeps things interesting even when the lyrics get a little over-the-top.

A five-star album quickly slips into three-star territory courtesy of a pile of less than stellar attempts, starting with Hollywood. It’s difficult to pinpoint why this track falls apart. The poorly timed distorted vocals have absolutely no punch, and lyrically speaking, there is basically the chorus repeated ad nauseum with two throwaway verses. Money Bought is a dreary number about a poor little rich girl, and the blazing guitar hook during the chorus notwithstanding, it’s definitely skip-worthy. Again relying the dual guitars to carry the song, Where Do I Hide is a small improvement. For a change it’s the verses that pack a bigger wallop, featuring Kroeger barking out with considerable menace.

I’m split on the last two efforts. First up is the abominably executed Hangnail. With a riff that sounds like it was carried over from the previous song and an equally barf-educing set of lyrics, this is four minutes of tightly wound filler. About the only sense of development from Nickelback comes in the form of the closer, Good Times Gone. Airy acoustic guitars are the centerpiece as Kroeger recalls the glorious days of his blissful youth. Slowly building to a thundering conclusion, the album wraps up in satisfying fashion.

Nickelback may not be the most popular hard rock band today, but with this release, they at least continue to demonstrate they are competent musicians. The twin guitars offer up a plethora of catchy hooks, which pushes the band’s sound forward even as the lazy lyrics threaten to sink it. At first glance, the whole package would seem to be nothing more than teenage angst, but several glowing accomplishments such as "Too Bad" and "Never Again" prove that Nickelback can rise above the innumerable genre clones. If you can forgive some sloppy tracks near the finish, and you can get past Chad Kroeger’s stringy hair, then you’ll find plenty of material to bang your head to on Silver Side Up.

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving