The Machinist’s New Album Quickly Proves A Merciless, Fantastic Death Metal Beast

Listening through The Machinist’s new album Confidimus in Morte feels like getting flogged across the back with deeply slashing ropes that just keep coming no matter what response you give. It’s a visceral nightmare. The relentlessly heavy music quickly proves inescapably intense and powerful, easily dragging the fury out for the album’s runtime. The music doesn’t feel stale or forced even for a moment — instead, the band deliver an excitingly dynamic look at deranged, fury-infused mayhem. Often, you’re on the receiving end of the pain, but grabbing onto it and refusing to let go can infuse yourself with some of the power, which feels like some of what The Machinist illuminate through their work. They’re explicit in this regard at times, occasionally dipping into lyrical themes like the violent confrontation of an abuser, and repeatedly coming back to that gritty personal perspective.

Essentially every element of Confidimus in Morte communicates the band’s apparent intent to dig deep into mind-boggling pain that on its own, feels so powerful it might drive you right out of your mind’s safe confines. Musically, the band never stay in the same groove for very long, offering venomous breakdowns as easily as they get significantly chaotic, and stringing the pair of extremes along an inescapably solid backbone of just plain heavy riffs. Atop this teeming mixture, vocalist Amanda Gjelaj shares an incredibly dynamic take on the poignant subject matter the band deal with, offering deranged-sounding, maniacal vocal work as easily as she dips into impressive and perhaps more conventional lows. The overall unity of purpose makes their music hit that much harder.

Attempting to categorize The Machinist would truly be somewhat of a waste of time, which is a welcome feature. They keep the listener guessing and on their toes throughout the duration of Confidimus in Morte, allowing for the album to really transmit the experience it purports to represent. The album isn’t just some wall of sound — it sucks the listener into its swirling pit, offering little to no way out until its crushing, emotional finale. The clear painful accuracy and reflection of “real life” sinks the music’s claws in that much deeper.

5/5 Stars

Listen below via Bandcamp. The full album drops via Prosthetic Records April 12.