KLACK - MACHINE

Against all advice, the punk rock performing group KLACK made its comeback this summer after a long period of silence in coming out with new material. The single MACHINE, released in April, presented the band's music in a fresh new way, as the title song makes you wonder if it's even played by the same band.

Unlike the act's usual sound, MACHINE's guitars play merrily within the brightly polished song. The most notable change is in how the vocalist uses his voice; he actually sings instead of just letting loose with punk screams. The man's voice sounds pretty harsh either way, but with the rosy sounds found on MACHINE, it's more negatively showcased. All in all, MACHINE is a surprisingly soulless sellout that drowns in the masses of visual pop rock, and it even lacks the original style of the band in question. On a positive note, the lyrics do make the song more complete by contemplating the easy life of a machine, which leads a life without pain, despair or yearning...and true to that idea, this song doesn't present much serious emotion.

However, the next two songs, FRIDGE CHICKEN and THE CANCER (which refers to the horoscope and not the illness), greet loyal fans by turning back to the group's roots of heavier punk. FRIDGE CHICKEN starts with promising wheezing and shows a new style by combining some quieter parts into the heavy sound. Only later on does it escalate to a rebellious yell - the appearance of this kind of patience appears to be the main reason for the praises of maturity this single has received. THE CANCER also creates a loud, original kind of a world, although it seems a bit incomplete with its hasty finish.

It seems KLACK has both developed musically and calmed down thematically after their last release, even though the song chosen to be the title track raises some obligatory questions. The future will show whether MACHINE gets left as an innocent experiment, or if the act will keep moving towards a more melodic sound.