Machine 15 (Epitaph)

On its seventh studio set, long-running Swedish act Millencolin has officially abandoned the lightning-speed punk blasts that brought it to the limelight in the ’90s. Album by album, the group has introduced more radio rock to the mix, and now with Machine 15 all that’s left is a handful of slow-paced, uninspired tracks.

It’s debatable whether Millencolin has graduated to a more mature sound. The quartet’s power-pop has become more intricate, and the chorus of the sad-sack anthem “Done Is Done” is infused with weepy strings, but the band still comes off as naive. Sure, there aren’t any goofy lyrics about fat girls, bowling alleys, or dancing monkeys—all topics they’ve covered in the past—but the constant refrain of “Turn on the radio” during the bubbly “Detox” sounds juvenile coming from a bunch of ex-punkers in their mid 30s.

For all its faults, from singer Nikola Sarcevic’s overly processed vocal harmonies—which are as cringeworthy as the latest Britney Spears—to the ultimately forgettable first half of the disc, the foursome does whip off a decent track or two on Machine 15. “Route One’s” unorthodox chord changes find Millencolin at least trying something out of the ordinary, but it’s just not enough to save the album from its top-40 rock-radio mediocrity. With Machine 15, you’ll be more likely to see the Swedes opening for your favourite cover band out in Chilliwack than on this year’s Warped Tour.