5 Stars
Audio CD (paid link)
Although the songs in this collection are about serious matters, love, romance and abuse, they are performed in such a joyous light that you cannot help but be uplifted by them. Something that is not common in the field of melodic progressive rock.
The band hail from Leeds, Yorkshire, England. The five men who played the instruments in the band, This Winter Machine, left that band leaving only its vocalist Al Winter to find new like-minded folk. ‘This Winter Machine’ had released two well-received albums, ‘The Man Who Never Was’ (2016) and ‘A Tower Of Clocks’ (2019). When they subsequently released ‘Kites’ (2021), to be honest, it was hard to spot the seam in that timeline.
Reasons for splitting the band appear to have been difficulty finding time together due to the pandemic rather than undue animosity, so we now get two bands out of one. The five guys have now teamed up with formerly unknown frontman, lyricist, and singer, Charlie Bramald, to have another crack at musical utopia.
Their debut album is obviously in similar fashion to their previous band. The moniker they have adopted slightly gives the game away. This is a good thing, especially as the music is now played with such enthusiasm.
Never mind the politics—feel the quality.
On their debut, they have unfurled their progressive rock flag and fly it proudly whilst keeping a sharp melodic hue to the tunes.
The roster in the band currently runs at: Charlie Bramald, lead vocals and flute. Graham Garnett, guitar and vocals. Scott Owens, guitar. Mark Hagan, keyboards including organ, piano and mellotron. Stuart McAuley, bass guitar, moog pedals and mellotron. Andy Milner, drums.
The music is audacious, full of grandeur. The first thing you hear is the opening to the epic ‘Scissors,’ which has been split into two parts, topping and tailing the album. The guitars come together, thrashing out the riff whilst the keyboards wail away over the top. Most importantly, the drums and bass anchor the song down, grabbing your attention and never letting go.
You would never know this is Charlie Bramald’s first professional outing on the vocals fronting such a monster. The dual guitars are used magnificently, whether playing in harmony or simply one guitar chugging away behind the other guitar adding eloquent licks. The excitement levels rise when both guitars thunder in together, taking the depth and speed up a notch or two. The keyboards are everywhere, whether it be piano frills, haunting organ passages or the mellotron weaving patterns complimenting the riffage (new Mott the Dog word.)
In between Scissors’ two parts, you get five more songs. ‘Mountains’ is full-on progressive rock made in Cinemascope! A very full sound almost reminiscent of early seventies Yes. ‘Just For Reference’ is a showcase for the lyrics and throat of Charlie Bramald; beneath his voice all the instruments combine nicely.
‘January’s Child’ has a great instrumental opening with piano and guitars working the song as things all plug together, rocking into a steady beat. The music is very raucous, but the lyrics are quite harrowing.
‘Mercury Rising’ is more classic rock with strong riffs and underlying keyboards, making you realize that Ghost Of The Machine are not only enjoyable to listen to but interesting as well. Mercury Rising is also split into two parts, but this time played together. After the grand opening, it’s not until two minutes thirty seconds that there are any vocals. The song is driven forward by powerful drumming coming from behind the band. The midsection shows great musical prowess from all involved before we charge to the finale with those chugging guitars acting as battering rams showing us the way to a full-on rampage. Very satisfying.
‘Dead To Me’ takes the threshold down somewhat more appropriate to its subject matter, the termination of love. ‘Dead To Me’ is the most solitary and reflective song on the album, giving a nice change of pace and showing a different side to Ghost Of The Machine.
The album closes with the second half of ‘Scissors.’ No matter how fine the songs are in the middle of the album, it will be Scissors in its entirety that the hoards in the stadiums will be baying for in future years.
Yes, Ghost Of The Machine are melodic progressive rock, but it’s played with such brutal gusto at times it gives the band a sound of their own.
If the band keeps progressing, I predict a huge future for these Yorkshire lads.
Written by Mott The Dog
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