Moon Machine – Moon Machine
Release Date: 30th July 2021
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Melodic Progressive Rock
FFO: Opeth, a bit of Alcest and other modern progressive acts.
Review By: Ben Harris-Hayes
I’ve heard good things from fellow progressive music fans, so I thought I’d snap up a chance to review this 3 piece’s latest slice of forward-motion.
Perhaps born from the Jean-Michel Jarre track of the same name (or not!), this clearly clever musical act are completed by multi-instrumentalist vocalist, Eric Honchwald, drummer Angel Castillo and keyboardist, Jonathan Sirota.
First up, and without blowing my own trumpet here, these guys sound like they come from the same line-of-thinking as my own musical endeavours with UK progressive rock band, Enochian Theory…as in, there is no care for trends or genres and it moves along lines of “if it sounds good, then it’s going in”…which I definitely appreciate.
And more so, it’s the band’s preference to showcase a melodic and compositional approach over a ridiculous technical widdling feel that I liked.
The opening track, ‘The Cave’, journeys through a lot within its 6 minute opening salvo and has the light and the dark, the rough and the smooth; before shifting along with some lovely use of dynamic movement…ending with a chugging riff work-out as the synths cascade left to right and the epic orchestration fills the ears. Nice work, lads!
‘Reckoning’ kicks in with a riff that Alcest could have written and has some lovely 5th vocal harmonies that could well crop up on an Alice In Chains record. The synth trumpet that comes in after the big-sounding intro signals another shift to calmer territories before a thick slide on the guitar brings us back into heavier lands. Again, it’s another smart track that moves enough within itself to keep me interested. Tons of melodic content and interesting musical ideas here.
The 3rd track is called ‘Demon’ and I was expecting something heavy as heck to kick in, but it comes at you initially like a soft ballad with tons of Opeth influence. We’re treated to some big influence from the Swedish powerhouse here, but without being clones. A gentle tip of the hat to them here is a nice touch. The octaver/whammy pedal variation on the riff at the end of this song made me grin as it’s proper grim! Backed up by the Nintendo-esque keyboard part and the roar by vocalist, Eric; it’s a solid way to round out the track.
‘Left To Wander’ greets us at track four and is another 6 minute plus piece. I really liked the clean minor riff that comes in at around 4 minutes and hoped it would come back again, and although it did in a variation on the piano; I secretly craved a repetition of it…but hey, we don’t always get what we want, eh?
Rounding out the record is a 3-part triptych that comes under the ‘Post-Upgrade’ heading, kicking off with the instrumental part 1, ‘Discovery’ and its Tool-esque / eBow-guitar vibes.
Part 2’s ‘Grief’ is a 7 minute journey through big Opeth vibes, reminding musically of Blackwater Park and more so, Mr Akerfeldt’s trademark twiddly riffage.
The final section, entitled ‘Requiem’ is a pleasant acoustic, strings and synth affair that last just a couple of minutes of the track’s total length. When it faded out mid-way through the allotted time, I was quite content to have that as the end…but the band decided to fade-in some sort of pointless noise/glitchy affair that didn’t add to anything I’m afraid.
Quite unnecessary for its minute or so…but hey…prog, right? haha
OK, so there was enough on this record to keep my ADHD sensibilities quiet, enough to calm the prog-snob in me and I give credit to the band for attempting to marry their lighter influences with the heavier, all on the same record.
I know it’s a tough thing to do, but credit to them for giving it a go and more so, keeping it musically interesting. Sure, the influences are worn massively at times, but that is perfectly ok.
I won’t babble too much more, and we’ll head straight for the scores on the doors…
The aforementioned prog-snob liked most of what Moon Machine had to offer here and gives it’s a hearty 3.5/5.
The other part of me that sits at the back of my brain and analyses everything is equally entertained and mumbles a rating of 3.5/5.
It’s a good record and any prog fan will enjoy the journey I’m sure.
(3.5 / 5)
