On a Dead Machine "s/t" CD
[Smith7]
Finally I get to check out the debut full-length from this killer band that I've been following since what I believe was their first demo.  Both of their demos that I heard really impressed the hell out of me, and some of those songs have been re-recorded here (though a few of my favorites are absent) along with several new tunes, all of which still leave me completely amazed as to how this band hasn't been snatched up by a sizeable label yet.  Seriously, idealistic principles aside, this band should absolutely be on a major label, or least an indie that's flirting with that mainstream base, because these guys are great songwriters that, in my opinion, could easily succeed in that realm.  Their style is one that's really hard to categorize.  Equal parts heavy and laidback, exhibiting a balance of smooth singing and fierce screaming, I could cite a pretty even blend of influences from emo and indie rock to post-hardcore, metal, and a more polished sort of modern hard rock influence.  Specifically in regards to the latter, the singing and undertones of the music carry loose resemblances to Chevelle and Tool; whereas elsewhere you could connect the dots to reach anyone from Sunny Day Real Estate and Texas is the Reason to Quicksand.  But I hate to just name off bands like that because it's too cheap, so I want to stress that these are only points of reference for the variety of styles offered herein, and I should also mention that despite the diverse roster of musical influences the band's writing is very streamlined and focused, it's not a mishmash of different approaches that feels jumbled at all.  Much of the material is midpaced and revolves around thick melodic chord progressions that tend to have a constant dissonant nuance underneath, while clean breaks slide in now and again for added breathing room.  "Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars" is almost misleadingly soft at the start but ends up making for one the catchier and more robust songs; "Sailing Past Japan" offers more variety with the tempos by injecting a little more speed to contrast the slower dissonant arpeggios later in the piece; quick spurts of acoustic guitar and spoken samples appear in "So This is Life"; and "You First" feels a little heavier and the screaming is especially powerful.  "Anywhere But Here" is among the more effective of the darker tracks, coming in slightly longer and with more of a driving surge to the chord progressions, while atmospheric clean breaks and more well placed spoken samples add to the flow; and "For You" closes things out afterwards with a soft, minimal acoustic delivery.  The recording is very nice for a self-released affair, sounding much like the impressive quality of their demos.  Everything is thick and natural with a lot of lush density of cohesive texture.  As with their past efforts the rhythms section is quite impressive and a lot of the tactful flare added by the drummer's performance really makes a subtle difference during some of the more energetic passages, while the character of the basslines can be just as efficient when weaving in and out of the guitars during a more chilled out clean passage (see "Windows and Silhouettes").  Honestly my only suggestion in this department, from what I can gauge, has to do with the mastering.  I definitely think the disc could've been mastered a touch louder, but there's also a hint of muddiness to the overall density, so you kind of have to ease the volume up to allow more clarity to present itself with this one.  Thinning out some of that excess low-end probably could've allowed more of the highs to brighten things up on their own, as well as pulling the basslines a little farther out.  But that's not a big deal at all, it's just something to think about.  Because honestly I really like the sound of the singing, and the guitar tones are also damn nice - the added heaviness beefs up the melodic aspects of the music and really lets some of the more open rhythm playing stand out (notably in tracks like "The Morning After").  But a little more brightness (especially to the screaming and the distorted guitars) would definitely gloss this one over perfectly.  The layout keeps it nice and simple with a consistent and minimal style of faint abstract artwork and all of the text compactly arranged on two panels inside.  The artwork's not the most interesting or engaging in the world, but at least it's clean and everything is nice and legible.  Lyrically things are dealing with all sorts of mishaps and turmoil in everyday life, but it's all handled in a way that's suggestive without beating anything into the ground, which I enjoy: "In the end all the principles fall apart, Now catch me, By design I should look away, It's a lie and you'll never last, It's so perfect I can't wait to set it on fire, Thank you so much and thank god it's over, We hang around for so long just waiting for answers to come, I'm alive like you but it's not quite the same..."  All in all this is a really strong record that still leaves me wanting to hear more from the band.  It's not quite as consistent in energy level as the demos were, most obviously because this is a full-length rather than a three- or four-track EP, but there is a little bit of a lull midway through the disc.  Speaking mildly critically but as an immense supporter of the band, I'd say that working to make the vocals a little more emphatic could be one measure to try.  Perhaps tossing in a smidge more of the screaming and pushing the range of the singing a little more, or using more pronounced vocal harmonies?  Elsewhere added tempo changes that hint at a minimal dash of speed could rev up some of the material, and I'd point to "Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars" and "You First" as two of the most admirable tracks on this particular outing.  Very nice work overall, though.  I'm really into this, and like I said, I wholeheartedly believe that On a Dead Machine would be incredibly well served to find a home on a label with some suitable resources to lend them a hand.  Be on the lookout for these guys... (8/10)
Running time - 41:21, Tracks: 12
[Notable tracks: Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars, So This is Life, You First, Anywhere But Here]
On a Dead Machine - http://www.onadeadmachine.com

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