PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Hailing from Sweden, Man.Machine.Industry return with their fourth studio album inspired by the movie “Aftermath:Population zero”. It’s a huge beast of industrial metal that is relentless in its attack.
On occasion I’ve been known to dip my toe into the sounds of industrial metal from time to time and right from the off this offering from Man.Machine.Industry has me hooked. For almost the first half of the album there’s a pounding, aggressive nature that brings together all the finest points of this genre. There’s wonderfully cohesive riffage backed by that unmistakable mix of samples and technological wizardry be it keys or otherwise. There’s flavours of Rammstein, of Rob Zombie, of that 80s new romantics sound, even the grandiose gothness in places of Sisters of Mercy apparent across “To A Blood Red Sky”, “We are the Walking Dead”, “Vivite et Sinite Mori”, “War God” and the title track, “Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn”.
I’m beginning to wonder if this album is going to stray from a much trodden industrial path at this point until I’m smacked in the face with a wonderfully expansive almost commercial rock track, “The Cage”. To their credit the song still maintains a somewhat industrial edge both vocally and through the background guitaring and keys as it kicks into overdrive midway through the track. Great change of pace and direction after the breathless power of the first part of the album.
“The Cage” segues superbly into the start of “Let Go” in an almost laid back blues manner before it very quickly launches back into a more mid-paced but still driving track with some groove tinged riffage and great dual guitar work in places.
Leading into the second half of the album, “Eighties” is exactly as I had pictured (or sounded it out) in my mind with a delightful take on the new romantic feel backed by some great heavy riffage. Strip away the riffs and pounding drums and replace with synths and similar and you have a bona fide trip back to that period. Great track that for me invoked a lot of nostalgia!
There’s a great change of tact as well in this second half of the album where we see a lot more depth and variety of structure in each of the tracks with “What you see is what you get” and “The Blind Leading the Blind” showing some nice complexity and changes in pace throughout. “Aim! Hold! Fire!” and “Time” remind us though that these guys can stand toe to toe with the best of them on the industrial scene as the album finishes off. Job done I reckon for Man.Machine.Industry with this one. There’s a lot of power, a lot of anger and a lot that does indeed make you want to lean back, relax and watch the world burn! Industrial metal at its best.
“Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn” will be available from 16th April via GMR Music.
Rating: 9/10
Tracklist:
1. To A Blood Red Sky
2. We Are The Walking Dead
3. Vivite Et Sinite Mori (Live & Let Die)
4. War God
5. Lean Back, Relax And Watch The World Burn
6. The Cage
7. Let Go
8. Eighties
9. What You See Is What You Get
10. The Blind Leading The Blind
11. Aim! Hold! Fire!
12. Time
13. ***
MAN.MACHINE.INDUSTRY are:
J.Bergman – guitar and vox
Car Crash Jim – guitar
Bennich – drums
13 – bass
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