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SAVAGE MACHINE
Abandon Earth
Independent Release, 2018

Founded in 2010, the Danish heavy metal band SAVAGE MACHINE played a prominent role in the Danish underground scene. The five-piece have released two EPs (A World In Ruins and Through The Iron Forest), won the Danish Wacken Metal Battle and came out fifth out of 29 contesting bands at the 2015 Wacken Open Air Metal Battle. The footage of their three-song set is worth checking out. www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtiurQwlpnI.

The band's first full-length studio album, entitled Abandon Earth, is to be released on January 19 on the band's own label. Mixed by Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, JORN, PRETTY MAIDS) and with cover artwork designed by Mario E. Lopez M. (IRON MAIDEN, MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND, METAL CHURCH), the album is both sonically and visually a real treat.

Musically, singer Troels Rasmussen, guitarists Jacob V. D. Bruun (lead and rhythm) and Simon Kalmar Poulsen (rhythm), bass player Benjamin Andreassen and drummer Martin Helbo don't miss out on anything either. The ten tracks on this album are pure heavy metal as we love it – killer riffs, galloping bass, thundering drums, spectacular lead guitar and soaring, straight-in-your face vocals. After the sound of rolling thunder and a foreboding, slow beginning the main riff of the opening track “Exodus” kicks in with full force and the song unfolds to an epic starting point of the album's theme, a post-apocalyptic journey into a grim future in which the world is being destroyed by a war between man and machine and the only hope is leaving our planet behind. A not altogether unlikely scenario in times when leaders of nuclear powers are boasting about the size of their buttons.

The album gains momentum with the following two tracks, the “Age Of Machines” and “The Hunter” showcasing the band's immense songwriting skills and stellar playing. Don't be misled by the balladesque beginning of “Time Traveler”, because this track bit by bit develops into a fast heavy metal onslaught with Troels Rasmussen's powerful vocals eventually soaring over thundering rhythm parts, culminating in a breathtaking guitar solo. “Behind The Veil”, on the other hand, is a proper ballad in the truest poetic sense of the word, gloomy and epic, a sure candidate for the repeat button. “Fourth Dimension” convinces with its anthemic chorus while “Fall Of Icarus” features some sort of flamenco style music played on the bass in its intro but soon returns to SAVAGE MACHINE's signature heavy metal virtues at uptempo speed. “Event Horizon” is another tempo-driven number, driven by tempestuous riffing and heroic hook lines. However, the definite dramatic showdown of Abandon Earth and also its musical climax is “Savior”, which literally bursts with ideas that develop over the song's playing time of over eight minutes to a masterpiece. “Welcome To Hell”, a powerful, high-octane grim outlook into the future, forcefully and impressively concludes the album.

And now press the play button and start all over again.

One couldn't wish for a better start of the new year in heavy metal than SAVAGE MACHINE's full-length debut album Abandon Earth. This is pure heavy metal with a fresh and authentic attitude at its very best, energetic but slowing down exactly at the right moments to give you time to catch your breath, great songwriting, clever arrangements, superb playing and stunning singing. This music is tailor-made for the big stages and leaves no doubt that there is a splendid new generation to continue the legacy of heavy metal. Anyone who says metal is dead needs to be slapped in the face with SAVAGE MACHINE's album.

5.0 Out Of 5.0