London’s Deep Machine is a reactivated NWOBHM band that I have had the pleasure of seeing live on a few occasions. Their live shows are always top notch and energetic and this is actually their first full length release since their formation back in ’79, save for a couple of recent EP’s via the same record label here. Fans travelling to Germany will be able to check them out at this years Keep It True festival too which is a great opportunity and a really cool festival.
What is refreshing about this band is the fact that this music sounds natural, they are part of the original scene and their experience clearly shines through with such rousing tunes such as ‘The Gathering’. You will hear old but mostly modern Saxon influences, Priest influences, especially via Lenny Baxter’s great vocals that go into falsetto mode during the track too. Of course a touch of early Maiden never does any harm either, all in all this is a thoroughly British record.
The album has some mid paced tracks that I would associate with the tag ‘British metal’, it’s not lazy, it’s not too energetic (and no way workmanlike either I must also stress!), but it is meat on the bones and solid. The driving rhythm is extremely consistent and, as previously mentioned, Baxter’s vocals sound quite effortless. The great sounding ‘Whispers in the Black’ ends the release, this is a cut from their most recent EP effort and is more akin to the original genre sound that this band are associated with. There is a healthy mix of the old and the new and the first track ‘The Wizard’ is full of balls and gives this record a good solid foundation to start with. Hooker’s and East’s leads are somewhat mesmerizing and spectacular in places that are captured with a louder proportion of the mix than some of the other musicians at times, but this will not hamper anyone’s spirits.
Pleasing is the fact that this is not a retro old school sounding release that seems to be the case of late, it is a bottling of ideas and songs that have been waiting to be heard for a while and the delivery thus sounds natural and more organic. Deep Machine now has the tools of the trade and physical releases behind them to bolster their already stellar live performances. Whilst I won’t proclaim genius, I will proclaim authenticity and this is a solid album.
(7.5/10 Paul Maddison)
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