UMUR
"The Machine" is the second full-length studio album by US industrial metal act Dead World. The album was released through Release Entertainment in October 1993. It´s the successor to "Collusion" from September 1992. There´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as drummer Greg Knoll has left. Knoll has not been replaced and instead the drums on the album are programmed. Dead World is therefore down to the duo of Jonathan Canady (bass, guitars, samples, vocals) and Kevin Kopp (guitars, samples, additional vocals).
The inclusion of a drum machine is actually quite suiting for the repetitive, gloomy, and heavy industrial metal of Dead World, and I find that the drum machine works much better for them than Knoll´s drumming did on "Collusion". "The Machine" is on most parameters a step up in quality since the debut album, and while Dead World have adopted some alternative/industrial rock leanings here (Nine Inch Nails had just debuted the year before), and have cut out the semi-death metal elements of the debut album, "The Machine" is ultimately still a cold, heavy, and gloomy sounding industrial metal release in the vein of the early releases by Godflesh and Skin Chamber (in other words it probably wouldn´t be enjoyed by Nine Inch Nails´s or Marilyn Manson´s audiences). Most tracks are effective, driving, and hard heavy grooving, but the industrial noise/sample track "Blood Everywhere", which is placed right in the middle of the tracklist disrupts the flow (or works as a breather...you decide).
The heavy riffs, mechanic rhythms, organic bass, and droning lead guitars work pretty well and create an apocalyptic and grim atmosphere, but the distorted shouting/singing/talking vocals don´t add enough to the music. When they are best, they add an extra eerie spice to the already grim mood of the music, but when they are worst, it sounds like a toneless Marilyn Manson has been given access to the recording sessions. Still there are more positive than negatives to say about "The Machine" and I generally find myself enjoying it quite a bit. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.