There’s no greater joy than creating music that you love, working hard, maybe with financial sacrifices, to get that shiny little disc in your hand. Lurgan based band Machina Kore are one such act who have laboured hard to achieve the dream of making an album. Doing things on your own terms with no management or label to help can find you soul searching as to why you’re going down this road. But after gestating these songs for a while the 4-piece band have finally delivered their debut album entitled Ghosts Of Everest.
The band consists of Gareth Morrow (vocals/lead guitar), Sean Haughian (bass), Eamon Lenehan (drums) and Gary Jackson (guitar) and this album was recorded in Antrim at Einstein Studios by Frankie McClay. I was sent the actual physical CD to review and alongside the music, the band have really put in the effort to create a stunning package with artwork from Gareth that matches the themes of his lyrics.
Opening track ‘Silver’ is a tender acoustic ballad with warm synths acting in a supporting role. As the first song potential new fans will hear, it’s a bit of a gamble in terms of showcasing what lies ahead, but if you’ve bought into Machina Kore and know their sound, it’s a beautiful little introductory piece that acts as a bookend for the final song. ‘Stone To Farewell’ kicks things off properly with some thunderous drums and scorching guitars that seep into some hard driving thrash grooves. The switching riffs and flowing grooves reminiscent of Megadeth. Gareth’s voice gets to roar a little with the more muscular backing, yet he has a soft tone that really reminds me of Maynard James Keenan. The guitars shape shift with ease as the beast of a drummer rattles out a variety of fill work that is quite exceptional. There’s a plethora of hooks throughout showcasing strong song writing capabilities and the dynamic shifts keep the interest. A final section of dreamy synths and sounds brings in some wider influences and border on prog rock too.
The snapping beats of ‘Making A Monster’ recall the sassy thrash of Anthrax. Locking into a super tight groove you get the feel that these guys can really play their instruments before the ultra-catchy melodies start to fly. This tune is a dangerous wee earworm. The vocal effects Gareth uses before the monstrous chorus drops is pure Keenan again. The sequence of powering riffs that lead into ‘Those Among Us’ are impressive as they flick from one to the next seemingly determined to twist your guts. The chorus is gigantic and memorable again bringing in a nice balance between melody and might.
Spacious clean guitars flow with melancholy at the start of ‘Alpha Luna’ bringing a little respite from the heavy pounding of the previous trilogy. The verse is downbeat with some lovely shimmering guitar tones giving Gareth’s voice a more tender delivery. Once again, the big chorus offers you much to remember with a memorable hook. As the name suggests the massive blast beats and grinding riffs of ‘Goliath’ sound huge, with some excellent production bringing out the tautness of the playing to the fore. The angular guitars in the chorus bring in elements of post-hardcore with jagged spikes interjecting the waves of distortion.
Album highlight ‘Death Mask’ has some melodic riffs that betray the dark tone of the lyrics. The searing melodies drive the song as the tight grooves splinter underneath them, there’s some very complex riffs at work here. Elements of psychedelia weave into the mix with the wondrous guitars and the solo that screeches out is absolutely spellbinding. A genuine shiver down the spine moment. When your band sound is clearly influenced by another act (Tool) why not borrow one of their song titles? So, we have the mellow ‘Sober’ that winds things down considerably with synths, gently strummed clean tones and beats that don’t sound like they’re trying to split you open. Busting free at the last into metallic realms the song rises in volume and emotion.
The claustrophobic ‘Breathe’ jumps straight into a staccato but big fuzzy rhythm as Gareth gets to flex some more minor key notes, pure Keenan style. The powering chug of the guitars level you in the same way Tool’s guitars do. This music needs to be played LOUD to be fully appreciated. The interplay of the guitars reminds me of Iron Maiden as they powerfully gallop alongside each other. The title track and album closer ‘Ghosts Of Everest’ takes you on a journey by opening with some Seventh Son synths and delicate guitar picking. Gareth soars with a spectacular melody and you feel the song is going to end differently from how it starts. Your suspicion gets rewarded with the ensuing riff barrage that drops halfway through as the band lock into a scorching set of riffs and military precision drumming. The melody here has a Celtic influence and the dynamic of melodies and physicality of the playing working wonderfully. As the song powers down for the home straight the strongest melody of the album makes an appearance as Gareth belts out “Bury me with the ghosts of Everest”. There’s time for some Helmet style power riffs and beats before one final minute of that super catchy melody to send you on your way.
As a debut album, Ghosts Of Everest sets a high standard for Machine Kore. The band have clearly spent a of time writing these songs and learning how to play them with consummate precision. Balancing full-time jobs with your hobby is a costly business in terms of finance and effort, but here we have the rewards of that time and money well spent. There’s a host of references throughout the album, you’ll maybe hear different ones from me. But Machina Kore are not trying to invent a new sub-genre of metal. What they have done is create an impressive debut album that is full of melodic hooks, intelligent song writing and technical musicianship.
