Gears of the Machine is the debut from the Chicago-based
Sacred Dawn. They play heavy metal with a few progressive tendencies and a lot of inspiration from older bands thrown in. The first band that came to my mind was
Metal Church but also
Savatage and
Fates Warning seem to be clear inspirations. This is all good but
Sacred Dawn have some way to go before they can reach this premier league.
The atmosphere is dark with some anger and melancholy spicing things up. The songs all roam around in the okay to good area, occasionally soaring into a higher stratum of air with either a superb guitar solo as evidenced in the sudden "
Fates Warning, Awaken The Guardian-era" flashback in
Asmodeus, a memorable chorus or melody line as showcased in
Soldier's Plea or a dark melancholic atmosphere which successfully pervades
Hatred, the album's only ballad.
Unfortunately Lothar Keller doesn't use his voice in the most convincing way. He lacks power and versatility to pull off the many things he tries and often sounds off, this is especially true when he goes too high or too deep. This is evident in songs like
Master of thought and
Shadows where his screams sound misplaced or the beginning of both
White road, Black sun and
Asmodeus where his vocals could have used a lot more work. His voice works best in the mid range territory where it stays most of the time.
Approval is a good example of this as he sings restrained and controlled in a convincing fashion.
The Desire sets the album off to a promising start and halfway through the threesome of
Hatred,
Walls of Jerico and
Approval are other highlights.
I'm The One has a good drive, excellent guitar solo and a memorable melodic edge going for it but unfortunately the chorus becomes a bit overused.
The musicians are skilled and tight. Several strong instrumental passages and solo sections exist on the album and they peak the interest, take for example the intro passage to
Time will tell. The heavy riffs are also there but they often don't stand out and this keeps many songs from leaving a lasting impression. In general I miss more wildness and originality in the songwriting.
Gears of the Machine is overall a promising debut showing both the strengths and weaknesses of the band. Vocals, lyrics and songwriting in general are places to focus.
Written by
Steen Monday, November 3, 2008
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