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Millencolin
Machine 15
Long revered as one of punk rock's leading forces, Millencolin built its reputation by playing to its strengths. Machine 15 (Burning Heart/Epitaph) - its first disc in three years - is no exception as the fearless foursome from Örebro, Sweden celebrates both an enduring musical brotherhood and an iconic presence in the genre. Embracing new stylistic touches while upholding the classic Millencolin sound, this well-oiled musical engine salutes its fans with fifteen knock 'em dead tracks. Aside from the obvious acknowledgement of the disc's song count, "There's a lot of stuff that adds up to fifteen," guitarist Mathias Färm jokes. "I used to drink fifteen beers when I'd go out! I'm a Viking!" But all kidding aside, Machine 15 is easily the best work in Millencolin's canon. Look no further than the explosive, socio-political anthem, "Broken World," which brilliantly fuses contagiousness and catharsis. "The verses are kind of funny to me," frontman/bassist Nikola Sarcevic says of the invigorating, sonic juggernaut. "It's just my opinion of the world. It's how I feel when I look out the window and it's wintertime but it feels like its September. I feel the need to write about what we're doing to the planet and to our fellow human beings. There are a lot of problems globally - we've got all of these crazy people out to make and perpetuate war. And what I do about it may be minimal, but when I sing about it, I feel a bit better." Elsewhere, "Detox" is a distinct and irresistible example of Millencolin's willingness to try new approaches. "We need to feel that we have something new to offer," drummer Fredrik Larzon explains. "The main thing for us is to diversify and evolve with each record." Ripe with harmony vocals, an infectious melody that gives nods to both the Beatles and the Beach Boys, and - count 'em - seven chord changes, guitarist Erik Ohlsson adds, "the goal is to progress and avoid writing the same songs over and over." Anchored by an array of memorable tracks, from the ballad-turned-blasting material known as "Vicious Circle" to the quirky, pop-laden "Ducks & Drakes" and on to "Saved By Hell," an energizing ode to overcoming adversity and crawling from the wreckage of relationship, Millencolin asserts it is at the height of its game, even if the rules have changed. The exhilarating force beneath "Brand New Game" provides the forum for this sentiment - which drops lyrical references to the foursome's past as it embraces the music industry's ever changing business model. "Everything is so different now," Nikola says of the charged, up-tempo rocker. "To me the whole music business has changed. It really is a brand new game." To which Färm adds, "For a new band, it's not a hard adjustment. They're used to the digital download world. I know we have to embrace technology, and I accept it, but in a way I feel like it takes the heart and soul away from what we're doing. Still, I like the CD package, the artwork, the booklet and the lyrics. That has more soul than just downloading the song and making it one of five thousand on your iPod." From the packaging that Ohlsson crafts for each Millencolin release - inclusive of Machine 15's blue-tint and semi-autobiographical imagery - through his own Graphic Arts entity, Eckhouse Design, to the web presence and fan contacts Larzon maintains and bolsters, coupled with the music Sarcevic and Farm create so that the band may live and breathe, the four are deeply involved in their achievement and expansion. "We're like four brothers," Erik says. "And Millencolin is our family. We've all had our outside pursuits, where I've focused on Eckhouse, and Nikola did his solo records [including Roll Roll and Flee (2006)], Larzon plays in a hardcore band [Kvoteringen] and Mathias recorded as Franky Lee [Cutting Edge (2007)]. And I think it's all good for our self-esteem and our growth. It only makes us stronger when we come together again. Our level of trust and our bond with each other is so solid. We all have our important roles in the group." By and large, in its decade-plus history, success of the group has clearly come on its own terms. "We were raised to take care of ourselves," Larzon adds. "We were taught that if you want things to happen, you need to work and you need to be involved. So that's always been important in this band. In an effort to make things a little more relaxed and productive, Millencolin re-teamed with producer Lou Giordano (Sugar, Taking Back Sunday, Sunny Day Real Estate), who previously worked with the foursome on 2003's Home From Home. "After going back to our dirty punk roots for Kingwood (2005), we wanted the kind of crisp sound that Lou is notorious for. Plus we have a great chemistry with him," Erik explains. Or as Mathias declares, "Lou is the fucking man." 'Nuff said. The creative alignment elicited the expansive, boundary-pushing guitar opus, "Done Is Done," which turned out to be a hands-down favorite among bandmates. Boasting the talents of the Swedish Philharmonic, Farm calls the string performance - which was recorded in one take - "Genius!" "I think it's great. It's different from what we've done before and we're stoked," Mathias enthuses. "People don't expect that sort of thing from Millencolin. Of course, some people might think, 'What the fuck is this?' But personally, I don't give a shit what people think." Still, for those pining for the firecracker punk rock tunes that have been the band's calling card since its 2000 Brett Gurewitz-produced breakthrough Pennybridge Pioneers, that formula is still alive and well on Machine 15. With the roaring "Turnkey Paradise," Sarcevic ponders the benefits of a safe albeit mundane suburban life. Meanwhile, numbers like the hard-driving "Route One", the hook-inflected title track and the adventurously melodic "Come On" are all as equally explosive and unforgettable. Mixed in Berlin by Michael Ilbert, who lent his magic touch to records by the likes of The Hives and Roxette, Machine 15 achieves an ultimate level of allure and power. Just check the blistering, powerful centerpiece "Who's Laughing Now?" for further proof. With its quality meter at an all time high, the mind-blowing strength of the disc is irrefutable. "This time, especially, it feels like we have something extraordinary to present," Sarcevic humbly agrees. And as he readies to lead his 'brothers' through their 2008 campaign for World Domination, Nikola concludes, "It's always nice to get back to where things are alive. We can't wait to play this record live."
For more information visit:
or contact Burning Heart/Epitaph Europe
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