Search - Ghost Machine :: Hypersensitive

A nightmare from which I never want to wake.

The Wickerman | Austin, TX | 01/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So, I'm not sure how permanent this project is, as two of the members are (to the best of my knowledge) still in the band Motograter, but I for one hope it isn't just a one-off thing. Ghost Machine is a tremendously talented band, with tons of potential. Through their distinctive blend of alt. rock, metal, industrial, and prog, they weave an intricate tapestry of dark, nightmarish music that still manages to be (mostly) accessible.



Although I'm not all that familiar with Motograter, I am intrigued to hear them more, as the two standout members of this band are from that band as well. Frontman Ivan Moody has quickly become one of my new favorite singers. His vocals are haunting, unsettling, and schizophrenic, and could not possibly suit the music better. At times, he reminds me a lot of Maynard James Keenan, but overall, his style is very much his own. Another big standout is drummer Chris Binns, whose playing is powerful, stylish, and complex. He sort of reminds me of Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater, especially with his thunderous tom fills and double bass rolls, but but his playing also contains a great deal of groove and subtlety. Guitarist and main songwriter John Stevens is exceptionally talented as well, even if he is a bit overshadowed by the aforementioned two.



Overall, the album is epic and unpredictable, weaving like a rollercoaster ride through a sick, twisted mind. After the short intro song, the angry "Sheltered" blasts out of the gate. This is the heaviest song, closer to straight-up hardcore, and although it seems a bit crude and immature compared to the rest of the album, it's still a fun track (I usually have to skip over the cheesy, overwrought part at the end though; when you hear it, you'll probably see why). "Headstone", "God Forbid", and "Vegas Moon", are dark, brooding rockers, which perfectly showcase Moody's amazing vocals (and why "Moody" is an incredibly appropriate name for him). "Bondage" is a sparse, haunting ballad, with really creepy vocals/lyrics, and a spell-binding guitar solo. "Skank" is much better than you might expect a song called "Skank" to be, with its super-infectious heavy riff, interspersed with tasty techno beats. "Desert Rose" is one of the odder tracks, with distorted offbeat rhythms, and subtle flamenco guitar. The single, "Siesta Loca", has sort of a jazzy groove, with a great chorus, and a killer drum outro.



The album ends with a "Lull-A-Bye", which is basically a reworking of "Rock-A-Bye Baby", set to really dark, creepy music. You don't really realize just how morbid the lyrics to that song really are, until you hear them in context with this kind of music, and how perfectly they fit with them. Very cool stuff.



But wait, it's not over yet. Hidden behind 6 short tracks of silence, are three bonus tracks. The first is more a collection of ideas than a song, with a lot of odd, random things, the second is a beautiful acoustic ballad, with nothing but guitar and voice, and the third is a sweet 8-minute trip hoppy instrumental.



All in all, this is a fantastic album that hardly misses a step (except for that darn ending to "Sheltered", but oh well...). Along with Hurt, these guys are one of the most promising alt. metal/modern rock bands I've heard recently, so I hope to hear more from them in the future. You don't hear many bands this great in this style of music, so it's definitely something you don't want to pass up. Recommended to fans of Tool, Nine Inch Nails, or anything comparable to those bands. Buy today.



(Oh, and the track listing here is wrong. That is for their self-titled demo, which has a lot of the same songs.)

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This CD is AWESOME!

Terry J. Conrad | 01/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great CD, I'd highly recommend it especially if you liked Motograter as the lead singer is the same. This CD includes all the great songs from their first album (self titled) and a number of other really good tracks. If you like metal, this is the CD for you!"