Denial Machine - same
Out of the ashes of the bands Ditchwater and Ashes from Within this US band decided 2009 after some line up changes to continue work under the banner of DENIAL MACHINE. The first harvest the band brings in is the self titled debut album released in november 2009.
The first impression you get is the dark and negative but well done coverartwork that doesn't suggest happiness and let us know that this is not a hair spray or cheesy metal band.
But let the music do the talking.
A short acoustic sequence at the beginning of „Whom the gods would destroy“ blinds us about the things that will come. Cause the song changes soon into more brutal fields. In best tradition of bands like Mercenary growled shouts and clean vocal share. Full guitar power, straight playes...taking no prisoners. So it has to be done.
In the same direction appears the next song „The Denial Machine“. Vocalist Skube knows how to use both, shouts and clean vocals, as well. In the clean area with lots of harmonies. The guitar work reaches from pointing warm plays to shredding. Mark Cichra and Mark Anderson, the both guitarists, really understand their work what ends in the result of a great guitar solo. Very variable in sound with a light progressive touch the band makes it to combine aggression with harmonies that brings the near to bands like Mercenary. But as we know this is not the worst thing.
„A symbol of obsession“ deserves machine gun riffing, very fast played. Clean vocals we only find a short middle part. It also remembers me to Soilwork. But this has not the vibes that the first two had.
More slow starts the next track „Idee Fixe“. Ok...not really a slow song but more held in midtempo. Main clean vocals and various sound elements lean this song a little alternative touch. Anyway..you also can find the meanwhile well known trademarks here.
„This burden tortures“ seems a little more chaotic. But if you listen with more intese you will find a nice structure behind it. Uncompromising, fast...hard.
In „Simulacrum of hope“ we will find the pop song of the album...ha ha. Ok....just kidding. First I thought this will be a little Metallica (in their more quiet moments) clone but the shouts of Skube destroys this impression. But sometimes I can hear out tiny Hetfield lines. All in all this is the most melodic song so far that will also count for people that don't like aggressive shouts that much. Like I think this is a clever input from the band.
A world class riff opens „Another savior“. Here we should talk also about the amazing drumwork of Jaycen Angone who always pushs the songs forward. Very variable guitar sequences including a terrific solo round up this real smasher.
Acoustic and melodic start in „The God Particle“. Again the clean vocals are more in front. Heavy and partly doom riffing together with brilliant solos dominate this song. Nice to liste and it doesn't seem constructed anytime.
After we could take a breathe we receive again the full power with „Execute vengeance“. There is riffing until the chicken is done. Hard food for melodic death gourmets. The short clean vocals that are plugged in seem helpless against the big shouts and cannot break through anytime.
Similar is „Delivering failure“. Full force, no time for friendship. This songs totally speeds fast forward only interrupted from a short clean sequence. Straight forward...no looking back.
More melodic again with „The Judas Goat“. Clean vocals reigns the scene. Great arranged and ear catching. The middle part with shouts brings more hardness but the main base of the song is melodic. Nice work !
Pretty fast starts the last song „Worms of the earth“. This song again unites all the elements that the sound of Denial Machine stands for. 6 minutes of changing moods. Pure aggression, speed and harmony breaks. Normally we could reduce the album to this last song, cause it owns all the bands trademarks. But this would be too easy. Again we are allowed to listen to a great guitar solo. This song nearly grows to a riot. Top track !
Denial Machine excellent know how to combine harmonies with aggressive elements. Sometimes with a little progressive touch the band appears very variable in sound.
For all fans of Mercenary and Soilwork whose last albums were not that good as in their earlier year this band is a great alternative. This stlye is not new but also not that overpacked like in other subgenres. And so Denial Machine have the rights to find their place in the melodic death genre.
More please !
Points 8 /10
Review by Kerb
Learn more about this band
