If Nickelback's forthcoming album sounds like the band is suffering from multiple-personality disorder, the frontman Chad Kroeger says that's by design.
"When you listen to this record, it sounds like it could be from four different artists," Kroeger said in a telephone interview. "We always try to do the same thing: We try to do something heavier than we've ever done, more melodic than we've ever done, every single time we do this, and I think we've achieved it again."
Nickelback's seventh album, Here and Now, is due out on November 21. The first two singles, When We Stand Together and Bottoms Up, made their debuts digitally on the band's website exactly one month ago; the songs were available from online retailers from September 23, the same day the album was available to pre-order on iTunes.
The multiplatinum Canadian act is known for hits such as How You Remind Me and Photograph. But while Kroeger says there is stuff on the album that's "very Nickelback," some songs will surprise fans.
"I think we've tried new things and explored new ideas, and I like it when people hear the songs and people say, 'This doesn't sound like Nickelback, this sounds like something different for you guys,'" he said.
Nickelback's last album, the triple platinum Dark Horse, was released in 2008, and the band went on tour for about two years to support it. Kroeger said he had spent the past year decompressing: "I spent a lot of time in Mexico and I kind of cut loose for a few months there and went a little nuts, blowing off steam."
Kroeger spent much of this month in the studio; the band is still finishing the record. It comes out the same day his friend and collaborator Chris Daughtry's band, Daughtry, releases its new album on November 21.
Kroeger says there's no competition between the two, though.
"I want them to do very well. I hope they come out and beat everybody, so that way we can tour together and have a very successful tour," he said.