Deep Machine
Rise of the Machine
High Roller Records
2014
Deep Machine were one weird bunch of folks, coming off from the NWOBHM, era. Sure these Londoners did gig frequently and even circulated 4 demos in 1980, 81, 82 and 83 as well but also featured prominent members of the scene like Kevin Heybourne (AngelWitch) and John Wiggins (Tokyo Blade) at one time or the other, although they didn’t stay probably for long... or release anything with the band. However the chief problem with this band is that back in the day the neither signed a deal or self-released a single, thus their name and legacy really didn’t endure as much as that of other bands that were around at the same bands and did much better.
With a couple of EP, previously issued collecting some previous recording, like last year’s 12” EP “Whispers in the Black” High Roller Records is now releasing Deep Machine’s debut album entitled “Rise of the Machine”. And about fucking time it was after fucking knows how many years… if the band was conceived in 79, it must be roughly 35?! Wow!
Matter of factly had Deep Machine released this material back in the day – they’d have probably impressed... now what sort of production back in the day is on vinyl is a question, as they never reached the vinyl stage, but as it stands they are not a bad bunch... at all.
With a sound that’s very typically old school NWOBHM, with twin squealing guitars, that are not exactly Maidenesque, but have a touch of that epic, masculinity and a vocalist and general love for the occult subjects that would make them tip a bit towards say, Witchfynde, but not as extreme and sort of monolithic, Deep Machine seem to be caught and stuck somewhere in the middle, mostly crunching out, mid tempo muscular epic British metal that’s not bad at all.
Resurrecting “The Wizard” from the first demo provides a link with the past, obviously. The aforementioned, is a nice, paced epic track with a really impressive chorus that’s delivered with aplomb.
Next up “The Gathering” is more mid-tempo and rhythmical and less epic but darker and works up nicely with some almost bizarre “King Diamondesque” wails or should we say Luther-esque (lol) ones towards the close...
“The Gladiator” as one might have expected epitomizes what is epic, with a crushing, chunky heavy and smearing riff... nothing sort of unexpected here, apart from a rather nice solo, that sort of comes out of the blue, rather unexpectedly to delight…
“Warhead” is short, fast and sweet, and if it was any other way it might have disappointed, it actually really helps the album NOT to stagnate, which is really important!
“Black Priestess” is also cool, it has a soft cool acoustic intro followed by an eerie “Diamondesque” chorus, that’s very catchy and thus it also help the album to not lose momentum at a critical point, even if it’s mid-tempo. A really “devilishly” good number!
And in keeping with the satanic themes “Hell Forest” seems to maintain the same “evil themes” albeit it seems to rip off a bit of early Maiden riffery in order to do so, (maybe a bit of “Killers”?) along with a bit from the general songbook of Angelwitch, but I guess, it might have something to do with growing up in the eastend...
The following track is “Witchild” from either the first or the second demo as they’ve re-recorded it too… which is a rather cool and “evil”, twisted tune with quite a biting riff and a nasty “crawling” atmosphere...
“Celebrophile” pokes fun at all the people who “listen with their eyes” and is a rather interesting mid tempo number with really cool and ironic lyrics...
“Whispers in the Black” begins with a bunch of very epic riffs and is one of the better numbers on the entire album featuring some of the most impressive fretwork and singing, even if it sort of here and there, also seems to also slightly copy a well-known Maiden tune – but does so, so smartly, through syncopation that you will hardly notice...
There are a further two songs exclusive to the CD that the promo downloads do not feature – “Killer” (CD bonus track) & “Iron Cross” (CD bonus track) so… no comment until we get the album ourselves.
Well for fans of NWOBHM and British Metal it hardly could get much better... a blast from the past, but very much into the now. Well at long last the machine has risen...
With a couple of EP, previously issued collecting some previous recording, like last year’s 12” EP “Whispers in the Black” High Roller Records is now releasing Deep Machine’s debut album entitled “Rise of the Machine”. And about fucking time it was after fucking knows how many years… if the band was conceived in 79, it must be roughly 35?! Wow!
Matter of factly had Deep Machine released this material back in the day – they’d have probably impressed... now what sort of production back in the day is on vinyl is a question, as they never reached the vinyl stage, but as it stands they are not a bad bunch... at all.
With a sound that’s very typically old school NWOBHM, with twin squealing guitars, that are not exactly Maidenesque, but have a touch of that epic, masculinity and a vocalist and general love for the occult subjects that would make them tip a bit towards say, Witchfynde, but not as extreme and sort of monolithic, Deep Machine seem to be caught and stuck somewhere in the middle, mostly crunching out, mid tempo muscular epic British metal that’s not bad at all.
Resurrecting “The Wizard” from the first demo provides a link with the past, obviously. The aforementioned, is a nice, paced epic track with a really impressive chorus that’s delivered with aplomb.
Next up “The Gathering” is more mid-tempo and rhythmical and less epic but darker and works up nicely with some almost bizarre “King Diamondesque” wails or should we say Luther-esque (lol) ones towards the close...
“The Gladiator” as one might have expected epitomizes what is epic, with a crushing, chunky heavy and smearing riff... nothing sort of unexpected here, apart from a rather nice solo, that sort of comes out of the blue, rather unexpectedly to delight…
“Warhead” is short, fast and sweet, and if it was any other way it might have disappointed, it actually really helps the album NOT to stagnate, which is really important!
“Black Priestess” is also cool, it has a soft cool acoustic intro followed by an eerie “Diamondesque” chorus, that’s very catchy and thus it also help the album to not lose momentum at a critical point, even if it’s mid-tempo. A really “devilishly” good number!
And in keeping with the satanic themes “Hell Forest” seems to maintain the same “evil themes” albeit it seems to rip off a bit of early Maiden riffery in order to do so, (maybe a bit of “Killers”?) along with a bit from the general songbook of Angelwitch, but I guess, it might have something to do with growing up in the eastend...
The following track is “Witchild” from either the first or the second demo as they’ve re-recorded it too… which is a rather cool and “evil”, twisted tune with quite a biting riff and a nasty “crawling” atmosphere...
“Celebrophile” pokes fun at all the people who “listen with their eyes” and is a rather interesting mid tempo number with really cool and ironic lyrics...
“Whispers in the Black” begins with a bunch of very epic riffs and is one of the better numbers on the entire album featuring some of the most impressive fretwork and singing, even if it sort of here and there, also seems to also slightly copy a well-known Maiden tune – but does so, so smartly, through syncopation that you will hardly notice...
There are a further two songs exclusive to the CD that the promo downloads do not feature – “Killer” (CD bonus track) & “Iron Cross” (CD bonus track) so… no comment until we get the album ourselves.
Well for fans of NWOBHM and British Metal it hardly could get much better... a blast from the past, but very much into the now. Well at long last the machine has risen...