Nuclear Blast
SURGICAL METH MACHINE - s/t LP
$43.95
Surgical Meth Machine is the eponymously titled debut full-length studio album by US Industrial metal act Surgical Meth Machine. SMM is a project founded in 2015 by Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen. The album features a two-piece lineup consisting of Jourgensen (vocals, guitars (rhythm and lead), bass) and Sammy D'Ambruoso (rhythm Guitars, programming, vocals).
Stylistically the music is initially not miles away from Ministry, although it´s generally a bit less guitar heavy, and the use of sampler and voice samplings are maybe slightly more dominant here than on Ministry´s releases (which of course also feature heavy use of samplings). "Surgical Meth Machine" is a bit of an odd release though as it shifts gear about half way through the album. The first half of the album features tracks in a relatively harsh industrial metal style, with sarcastic humour, and dominant use of sampler and voice samplings, but after "Unlistenable" segues into the Devo cover "Gates of Steel", the remaining tracks gradually become more mellow, starting with industrial tinged melodic punk rock and then goes to full-on ambient rock mode.
Stylistic diversity can sometimes ruin consistency of musical material, but Surgical Meth Machine actually pull it off quite well. They sound just as much at home with the harsher industrial metal as they do with the more mellow material. The album also features a very well sounding and detailed production, so upon conclusion Jourgensen has done it again - creating original sounding and pretty badass industrial metal with a twist.
Stylistically the music is initially not miles away from Ministry, although it´s generally a bit less guitar heavy, and the use of sampler and voice samplings are maybe slightly more dominant here than on Ministry´s releases (which of course also feature heavy use of samplings). "Surgical Meth Machine" is a bit of an odd release though as it shifts gear about half way through the album. The first half of the album features tracks in a relatively harsh industrial metal style, with sarcastic humour, and dominant use of sampler and voice samplings, but after "Unlistenable" segues into the Devo cover "Gates of Steel", the remaining tracks gradually become more mellow, starting with industrial tinged melodic punk rock and then goes to full-on ambient rock mode.
Stylistic diversity can sometimes ruin consistency of musical material, but Surgical Meth Machine actually pull it off quite well. They sound just as much at home with the harsher industrial metal as they do with the more mellow material. The album also features a very well sounding and detailed production, so upon conclusion Jourgensen has done it again - creating original sounding and pretty badass industrial metal with a twist.
