Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 06/10/2008
Machinery doesn't sound like the name of a band that would be a contributor to the Scandinavian
death metal/
black metal scene;
Machinery sounds more like the name of an
industrial rock or
industrial metal band. But
The Passing is, in fact, relevant to
death metal -- specifically, the melodic side of
death metal, and this 2008 release is an impressive example of what can happen when the extreme and the musical come together for a
metal band. Most
death metal, of course, is not very melodic; the vast majority of
death metal bands have governed by brute force alone. But there has been a movement of
death metal bands that wanted something more musical, intricate and nuanced from
death metal -- bands like
Opeth,
At the Gates,
In Flames,
Callenish Circle and
Age of Ruin -- and this Swedish combo favors that type of approach on
The Passing. This CD gets its inspiration from
power metal,
progressive metal and
thrash metal as well as from
death metal and, to a lesser degree,
black metal. Melody is not a mere afterthought on
The Passing; it is an integral part of what
Machinery does, and the clean vocals are actually more plentiful than the extreme vocals (which include a
death metal "Cookie Monster" growl as well as a black metal rasp).
The Passing has its moments of crushing viciousness, although most of this 46-minute disc isn't all that harsh -- and the end result could be described as
Queensr˙che meets
Dream Theater meets
death metal and
black metal. With
The Passing,
Machinery makes an excellent contribution to the melodic
death metal movement.
~Alex Henderson, All Music Guide