I'd like your guys' opinion on these

S

Selianin

New Metal Member
Sep 5, 2004
11
0
1
First of all Greetings to everyone, since this is my first post here. ;)

My band Machine Called Man just finished our debut album and we're getting ready to send it out to labels.

We're curious to see what response the songs generate so we're posting them around on the web to get people's opinions before we actually send them out. I figures I'd give this place a try since the music is "proggy" ;) and we were actually on the Prog Power IV sampler (though our contribution was somewhat subpar due to a number of factors).

Anyway, if you take a few minutes to listen to these and let us know what your thoughts are, it'd be greatly appreciated!

Machine Called Man - Only Now

Machine Called Man - Pity Me


Thanks!


Manol
-Machine Called Man-
 
Fairly good I'd say. Only one thing that really stands out though, the angry vocals are much better than the clean :p. The music is interesting albeit a bit repetitive. I did enjoy the melodies though. Only Now by far my pick of the two. Pity me as a ballad just didn't seem to do it for me.
 
Giving them a spin.


My anal-lysis:

For a debut release, EXCELLENT audio quality. Nice and crisp, well mixed, good sound. Lead guitars cut through just the right amount, maybe bring them up juuuuust a fraction, but only a wee bit. Drums cut through like broken glass to the jugular! I need to hear this in my truck to really tell the bass drums, but that's cuz these speakers on my computer never really push the kick drums anyways.

The guitars, to me, are a bit thick. I do prefer heavy as hell riffage, but I also like hearing the actual riffage. These are a bit deep to me. I wanna hear all the details and little nuances of what you're actually playing, especially when chunking away in the lower range. Sounds really good, though, don't get me wrong. If you like it superthick like that, feel free to slap me. But I do like being able to hear the bass guitar and the rhythm guitar as separate entities. Examples of that would be Clayman-era In Flames, or Shadows Fall. Don't go sucking out all the low end cuz I told you! Just maybe lighten it up so the riffage is more distinguishable. Clean guitars on Pity Me really have a cool, hypnotizing sound in the beginning. Really sweet sound. Very delicate and careful, and yet full.

The voice is really powerful. Good sound. Not annoying to the ear, and not strange or weird. Fuckin BALLS. And I like his control. He can belt out a loud strong clear note, and then put that grit in there that sounds so damn METAL. Proves he's a real singer and has done his homework.

Now.... just out of curiosity... you guys familiar with a band by the name of The Quiet Room? You have a shitload in common with them. Fuckin metal. But I like your singer better. \m/


Allright, that's enough outta me. I'ma listen to them for a third time.
 
Hey Bryan,

First of all thanks for the kind words!

Actually the problem with the low end lies in the bass, not the guitars. We recorded this ourselves, and let's just say that the bass wasn't recorded as well as it could have been, which led to some mixing problems later.

And actually the guitar tones on this were partly based on Clayman era In Flames ;)

As for Pity Me that's actually two guitars (a clean electric and an acoustic) layered in the intro (and throughout the whole song pretty much).

And no I've never actually listened to The Quiet Room's stuff, though I've heard the name before. I'll definitely check them out!


Manol
-Machine Called Man-
 
Both tracks rule!! OK, so I'm biased. =)

Wait until you guys hear the rest of the aalbum, f'ing rips!!!!
 
Bryan316 said:
Giving them a spin.

My anal-lysis:


The voice is really powerful. Good sound. Not annoying to the ear, and not strange or weird. Fuckin BALLS. And I like his control. He can belt out a loud strong clear note, and then put that grit in there that sounds so damn METAL. Proves he's a real singer and has done his homework.
Click to expand...
It's good to hear that you like the voice. Norman "Savascream" Skinner sings on the new Imagika disc ("Devils On Both Sides"), as well, and he does one hell of a job on it! The disc comes out in Feb 2005 on Mausoleum records. Btw, I just noticed that you posted right above me, Norm...lol.

As for the MCM material, I heard several of the new tracks live a few months back at the MCM show in San Jose. I really like the songs, and MCM gave an excellent performance. I'm really looking forward to hearing the new cd. Btw, I think "Only Now" is the better of the two tracks posted above. :headbang:
 
I just downloaded the first track and gave it a spin, I really like it. Good stuff, the vocals are great, especially as Bryan316 so perfectly said it sounds "so damn METAL" when he grunts it out a bit. Love it. Push that demo hard, if you guys don't get signed it's a shame.
 
I'm glad you liked my review.

Where's my free copy?

HAH!



Yeah... that low end is soooo damn low. Is it too late to go back and redo the bass? Being a bass player, I loved listening to Clayman cuz when everything's chunking away in unison, it sounds like ONE big entity. Yet when the guitars start separating and playing the harmonies and stuff, you can tell all three instruments apart, and the bass tone is so perfectly tweaked to stand alone AND meld with the guitar riffage. My brother noticed it at first, and showed me, and I said agreed. Best matching of bass tone and guitar tone. The only other examples I could possibly think of, would be Cliff Burton on Puppets, and Mike Inez on No More Tears. Mike's tone is sooooo goddamned deep, yet is completely separate from Zakk's tone. Perfect blend. And when they start chunking away in Mr. Tinkertrain, it's like Heaven In Stereo.


And if that really is your own basement recordings... HOLY FUCKING FUCK! You gotta send me some fuckin hints and tips, cuz that shit is goooooood. I'll be ecstatic if I can get our drummer's tracks to sound that thorough and evenly balanced like that. Prolly need to get a few more pieces of equipment, knowing that you've just set a really high standard for me to aim for!

Just get the humming thickness of the low end a little more under control, and get those guitars nice and distinguishable, and you'll be flying high.

*goes to MAM website*

*bookmarks*
 
Horrid Just Horrid!!!You guys need to give it up and go back to ditch digging!!!:loco:

You know that song Pity Me reminds me of my ex roomate, Billy :headbang:

Bear
 
Hey Manol and Norman :)

I've listened a few times... gonna listen a few times more to get a full feel for the material and get my thoughts together... Overall.. excellent. Quite surprised at your voice, tbh, Norman... Pleasantly surprised ;) Great production for self-production... Much potential I think... I can see these two songs going over very well live... Interested in seeing how you pull off the vocal control change-up in tone and delivery live... Can't be easy!

Look for more in a bit...

*hugs*
 
13ShadesofGray said:
Hey Manol and Norman :)

I've listened a few times... gonna listen a few times more to get a full feel for the material and get my thoughts together... Overall.. excellent. Quite surprised at your voice, tbh, Norman... Pleasantly surprised ;) Great production for self-production... Much potential I think... I can see these two songs going over very well live... Interested in seeing how you pull off the vocal control change-up in tone and delivery live... Can't be easy!

Look for more in a bit...

*hugs*
Click to expand...

;) Don't you worry baby! All vocals were recorded in one day very quickly. What you hear on the album is pretty much what you get live. Thank God for vocal lessons. LOL! BTW I really enjoyed your songs you played on your show... You have the voice of an angel.
 
Bryan316 said:
...have any of you snooped around for Quiet Room yet?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I checked out 'Reconceive'. Sounds decent. Don't think they sound anything like us though. At least not to me ;)

They do have a unique sound though.

And the fact that they have James Hetfield for a singer further differentiates them from Machine Called Man :p


Manol
-Machine Called Man-
 
well...finally....

it's done.

;)

i sent out a version of a "simple cd label" for the other guys to check out today. we'll do some finalizing, start packaging up, and sending out copies as soon as we print them out.

and yeah...a lot's changed in the passed few months for us (as usual), but some completely new material has been started as well. so i guess the evolution continues..?!

keep on checking the website for more info on how to get a copy of all 10 tracks, and to see what's new. as the holidays are coming up quick, and everyone gets busy at this time of year--it'll all be up there soon.

paul

www.machinecalledman.com
 
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