When bands teeter between "regular" music and metal, I can get fairly picky. Generally, it turns out to be disappointing. This can be for a multitude of reasons, but primarily it comes down to personal preference and what I look for in that type of molding of genres. When a band is successful in this, the product has the potential to sound incredible.
I was not too familiar with New Keepers of the Water Towers, so the delight factor of Infernal Machine made it that much more exciting. This group from Stockholm, Sweden fuses the perfect amount of psychedelic rock and doom metal. With a cosmic and outer space feel, these five guys compose music with character. With portions that are sometimes drawn out and slow burning, they refuse to be repetitive or monotonous. For these character building episodes, one is drawn in and eventually placed in a front row seat of a space thriller-like soundtrack that leads imaginations to creative dark landscapes. An excellent example of this would be the second track "Tracks Over Carcosa". This is one of my more favorite tracks, with some lively rhythm that grooves tremendously. It also incorporates well timed leads which are sporadically and strategically placed. With a slow intro leading into a peppy groove that reflects mystery, hope, and danger, this seven minute track with no vocals is a work of art.
With limited vocals throughout, this eerie and intriguing release has just enough catchy riffs and ambient affects to cast an addicting spell over the listener. The more you listen, the more developed and mature Infernal Machine becomes. From melodic campaigns, to darker grooves, Infernal Machine is a complete release that is competently written and composed. If your into experimental and progressive writing, this is the album for you. 7.5/10
I could not locate new music online for this review. Enjoy some music from their previous album below.
