After their debut album “The Distortion of Lies and the Overdriven Truth” this new one is launched rather fast. I was not that enthusiastic about the debut, especially the somewhat over the top singing and the rather chaotic songs and production I didn’t like. With only 2 members left from that line-up, Steve Smyth (ex Testament, Nevermore, Forbidden ao.) and Jamie Hunt (ex Biomechanical) both on guitar they recruited three new members. Stefano Selvatica on bass, Michele Sanna on drums and new singer Chris Hawkins complete the line up.
The new vocalist is a rather good singer, although his screaming also irritates me now and then, but he does a rather good job in general. Listen for example to the slower song “The Grand Design”, with riffs in a kind of Sabbath doom style and the semi-ballad “Ashes In the Sky”, where he really shows what he is made of. That last track sometimes made me think of Alice in Chains. The other songs are a mix of technical Bay Area kind of thrash with power metal influences. Lots of Nevermore, Forbidden, Vicious Rumors and Imagika influences I hear in the music, but…. all these bands write songs with a head and a tail.
The rather technical and chaotic music on this album is not always easy to follow. That’s the biggest problem I have with this album. Great musicianship, nice drum breaks, nice solos, nice riffs, but not a song that really sticks. Only the slower pieces make sense, but the faster tracks are full of virtuose playing, but without any grip. It is really excellent how the musicians play, but they forgot to write songs that keep hanging. That already was a problem I had with the first album and they still didn’t change that. Standstill is decline they say and that is what this is for me. I really would have given more points if the album was worth it, but I’m not going to fool you. If you want to check them out first, you can listen and watch the video below!
Tracklist:
01. Forewarning
02. The Final Cull
03. Summoning Of the Soul
04. Screaming For Light
05. The Grand Design
06. New Motive Power
07. Ashes In the Sky
08. Born From This Hate
09. Welcome To the World
Playing time: 45:00
Release date: 18 September, 2015
Label: Scarlet Records
Website: www.facebook.com/onemachineofficial
Leave a Reply