Nickelback – who, depending on your viewpoint, either ruined or saved mainstream rock with their monster hit ballad “How You Remind Me” – have announced that their follow-up to 2005’s All the Right Reasons will hit stores November 18. The album, which remains untitled, will be produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange, the man behind the boards for the biggest chart successes from AC/DC, Bryan Adams, Def Leppard and Lange’s ex-wife Shania Twain.

Recently signing a gargantuan distribution deal with Live Nation for future albums and concerts, Nickelback will be facing an increased amount of pressure to match the sales of their last three records: All the Right Reasons (seven-times platinum), Silver Side Up (six-times platinum) and The Long Road (three-times platinum). To be fair, no 2008 rock album has come even remotely close to those numbers – Disturbed’s Indestructible seems like it’s been on the charts forever and is only certified gold – but you can anticipate a string of “Nickelback is over!” headlines if the new disc falters at all.

As we make our predictions for its commercial chances, we’ll get our first taste of this new album when the lead single, “If Today Was Your Last Day,” debuts September 30.

Photo courtesy Roadrunner.

Slipknot’s All Hope Is Gone won one of the closest races in Billboard album history as the metal band’s fourth album beat out rapper the Game’s LAX by just over 1,000 copies. Slipknot have never had an album top the charts. (Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses, the band’s 2004 collection, got closest, climbing to No. 2.) But spurred by the dynamic lead single “Psychosocial” and the band’s headlining stint at this summer’s Rockstar Mayhem metal festival – which featured a plane flying overhead with a large All Hope Is Gone banner trailing behind it – Slipknot are finally in the winner’s circle.

• Read my review of Slipknot’s All Hope Is Gone

Photo courtesy Roadrunner.

Last month when I panned Only Through the Pain, Trapt’s latest album, I made the mistake of suggesting that I couldn’t imagine Trapt being anyone’s favorite band since the group didn’t seem distinctive enough to inspire such devotion. Well, the fans let me have it – I got a few comments and email responses from die-hards who did not take too kindly to me ripping on a band they clearly loved. While we’ll have to agree to disagree about Trapt’s talent, allow me to present this peace offering: Here is a list of upcoming Trapt tour dates, starting with tonight’s show in West Springfield, Virginia.

• Sept. 3 - West Springfield, VA - Jaxx
  
• Sept. 4 - Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live
  
• Sept. 5 - Columbia, SC - Headliner's
  
• Sept. 7 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
  
• Sept. 8 - Dallas, TX - The Loft
  
• Sept. 9 - San Antonio, TX - Scout Bar
  
• Sept. 10 - Pharr, TX - Graham Central Station
  
• Sept. 12 - Springfield, MO - Outland Ballroom
  
• Sept. 13 - Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center
  
• Sept. 14 - Louisville, KY - Waterfront Park / The Great Lawn
  
• Sept. 18 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
  
• Sept. 21 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
  
• Sept. 22 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
  
• Sept. 24 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
  
• Sept. 25 - Santa Rosa, CA - Last Day Saloonz
  
• Sept. 26 - Pomona, CA - The Glass House
  
• Sept. 27 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheater
  

• Read my review of Trapt’s Only Through the Pain
  
• Trapt profile

Photo courtesy Eleven Seven/Total Assault.

Buckcherry’s last album, 2006’s 15, became their biggest hit by capturing both the naughty-rock audience (“Crazy B****”) and relationship crowd (“Sorry”). The first two videos for the band’s forthcoming Black Butterfly suggest they’re sticking with that strategy. “Too Drunk” was the bad-boy song, and now “Don’t Go Away” targets ballad fans.

The “Don’t Go Away” video is pretty typical of the lost-love genre, cutting between images of the band earnestly performing the song to scenes of a melodramatic couple walking around in slow-motion while anguishing over their storybook love. (Why is it the couples in these videos always look like models? Don’t any regular people ever have relationship problems?) Ultimately, the “Don’t Go Away” video has some of the same strengths and weaknesses as the song it’s supporting: It’s very appealing and accessible, but there’s a strong sense of familiarity about it as well.

• Watch Buckcherry’s “Don’t Go Away” video
• Buckcherry Profile

Photo courtesy Atlantic.