A&E

The feathery supergroup Chickenfoot are back with more classic rock grooves. Deciding to skip the numeral II altogether, Chickenfoot III exudes the ’70s and ’80s ideals of big, loud guitars, harmonizing backing vocals and a gruff, husky singer. Despite the fact that the tracks on Chickenfoot’s latest offering suggest a stadium rock vibe, the album replaced some of the heavy tones in favor of a crisper, upbeat groove.

The lighter side of Chickenfoot isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you won’t find songs like the darkly electrified “Avenida Revolucion” from their previous album, and rarely do the tracks on III compare to the band’s breakout single “Oh Yeah.” Tracks like “Up Next” and “Dubai Blues” come pretty close though, with Sammy Hagar’s raspy screams soaring over Joe Satriani’s lightning-speed guitar riffs. With all this talk of the band lowering their brawn, it seems Satriani has taken the muscle for himself. Whether it be his fat rhythm chunks or his smooth, arpeggio tapping solos, Satch proves himself as a true guitar virtuoso. The guitarist truly shines on album’s single “Big Foot,” with a squealing solo and a dirty verse lick that syncs perfectly with Chad Smith’s pummeling drum beats.

A noticeable difference is the lack of slow-yet-powerful tracks, which seems to benefit the band greatly. With the exception of “Come Closer,” the group manages to steer clear of the tired, emotional ballads. With lyrics that contain the phrase “certified hell-hound,” it should be no surprise that Chickenfoot III brims with distorted songs that will please those who love a vintage style with a hint of modern musicianship. Overall, Chickenfoot still know how to pack a hard-rock punch, even if the blow is softer than it has been before.

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