Blood4Bones - 'Broken Machine' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Pity Party

2. Mr. Suicide And Me

3. Inside Of Me

4. You've Got Some Fucking Nerve

5. Human Again

6. Fire And Fury

7. Do Not Resuscitate

8. Survival

9. Damaged Interior

10. Don't Be The Reason

11. Claws In My Back

Blood4Bones are

Chappy - guitars, programming, noise, backing vox

Polly Phluid - vox and words

KC Duggan - Vox and words on tracks 4 &7

Sir Lee Mosby - Vox on tracks 6&8

Weronika Rauba - Vox and words on track 3

Rusty D - Vox on track 9

Blood4Bones is a music project from Leeds containing members of The Idol Dead and PsychoBabylon.

'Broken Machine' is a beast!

Place yourself in a metal bin and get your friends to wallop it with baseball bats whilst you have a nosebleed and a panic attack. That’s what this album is like. It’s claustrophobic, it’s dark, it’s dirty, it’s urgent, it certainly isn’t for the faint hearted. It’s majestic, it’s unapologetic. It’s awesome, and that’s just the opening track, 'Pity Party'. What a way to start an album!

'Mr. Suicide And Me' reminds me of Marilyn Manson in its delivery, although I must prefer Polly Phluids vocals. It’s certainly no let up from the assault to the ears this album is, and I mean that in a good, no great way. The sudden change in pace midway through the track with its punishing drums further adds to the disjointed feelings this album puts the listener in, as Polly says “It’s not okay!”

'Inside Of Me' mixes things up further enhancing the schizophrenic groove of 'Broken Machine'. I’ve mentioned it’s not an easy listen, you can’t put this album on in the background, it demands your attention, it barks, it growls (Literally on this track as some of the vocals are barked out in a guteral voice). It’s a fast paced assault. I’m in nirvana! It’s great.

'You’ve Got Some Fucking Nerve' is delivered in almost a whisper, but it’s a vicious whisper, not a gentle one. KC’s vocals stop the listener from getting too comfortable with the album. If you are a fan of Gingers Mutation albums then this is the album for you. It’s got that vibe to it although 'Broken Machine' has a more industrial feel to it, add a bit of Nine Inch Nails to the mix is the best I can describe it and that’s still not doing it justice.

'Human Again' is the bands closest “slow one”. Polly has this covered with his vocal delivery on it, he’s certainly being put to the test on this beast of an album, he rises to the challenge though. Chappys backing vocals on this stops it being a comfortable listen, as does the guitar work, creating dissonance.

Then when you have just managed to take a much needed breathe 'Fire And Fury' screams into life. Hard, heavy, fast and furious, it takes no prisoners. I would love to see this album played live just to see if it could be done, it’s so frenetic, played so fast and with such passion. Even the guitar solo on this track is done at 100 miles an hour!

'Do Not Resuscitate' has become something of a favourite of mine. It seems to up the pace even more if that’s possible. Its drum beat is relentless, the mix of vocals is starting to mess with my head, I may need a lay down when the album is over, I’m exhausted and I’m just listening to it! I thought 'Frantic' by Metallica was fast but it has nothing on this.

'Survival' does just not let up, more electronic maybe than some of the other tracks although screaming guitars are never far away. I’m starting to feel uncomfortable now, I’m confused, and I’m disorientated. I’ve never listened to an album before that has had such an effect on me. 'Dark Matter' by Mutation is possibly the only other album that has come close. But this? It’s magnificent. It’s perfect.

'Damaged Interior' is reminding me of Pop Will Eat Itself around about the 'Dos Dedos Mis Amigos' era, when they had met Trent Reznor and beefed up their sound. I’m starting to lose the ability to type, to think straight!

'Don’t Be The Reason', it’s funny that a song with such power actually feels like I can take a breath. Such is the power of this album. It’s still dark, it’s still brooding but not quite so relentless as the previous tracks. Blood4Bones have timed 'Broken Bones' to perfection; they seem to know when it’s getting to much and ease back a fraction just at the right time! Closing track 'Claws In My Back' comes at you from a different angle. It’s disjointed. It has a brooding anger that we feel rather than hear. Once again they know how to mess with the listeners emotions.

It’s over, I feel exhausted but full, like a decent meal. I can’t describe just how amazing this album is. It’s not for everyone by any means but if you like discordance in your music, then listen to it please!

An album of the year contender!