Re-Machined – Brain Dead (Pride & Joy Music)
Friday, 25th February 2022
Germany has always been a pivotal part of the metal movement – never turning its back on the classic and traditional forms of heavy metal when other parts of the world went alternative or extreme in style and scope. Re-Machined embraces that aesthetic for their second album Brain Dead, a quintet of musicians that formed in 2016 and have been slugging along ever since, releasing a self-titled EP that same year and their debut album Wheels of Time in 2020 for Pride & Joy Music. The Teutonic finesse, dual guitar rhythms and lead break possibilities, stern and steady bass/drum support, plus fierce vocals ensure that these eleven tracks keep the headbanging hooks and memorable songs flowing.
The streamlined mid-tempo nature to most of the riffing and rhythm section output allows for immediate brain/body penetration – especially if acts like Accept, Bullet, and Sinner matter to your record collection. Try your hardest not to swing that hair (or raise your fist) in approval to the main musical hooks of “Black King” or the thunderous opener “Raise Some Hell” – as guitarists Horst Pflaumer and Andreas Glanz hoist sturdy axe work with 80’s-like grace and charm. Mini-bursts of bass and drum prowess appear in specific spots for Bruno Strasser and Volker Brecher respectively – along with the call and response background chorus within “Stand Up and Fight” that should make this a required Re-Machined staple when we get back to regular live gigs. Additional elements of acoustic instrumentation give chase to the electric propulsion for “Road to No Man’s Land” – showcasing a bit of exotic atmosphere in a classic metal context, allowing Thomas Ritter a chance to stretch his unique vocal range into upper, helium register during specific lines. Thomas has a lot of grit amidst his obvious melodic tendencies – think Udo Dirkschneider matching up with Brian Johnson from AC/DC in terms of phrasing, delivery, and passion for the metal/hard rock on hand when you process cuts like “Into the Dark” as well as the Accept-like title track.
Re-Machined is another group that sticks to a tried-and-true formula as far as their German hard rock/metal exploits, keeping the course for a steady supply of entertaining songs. Don that leather jacket or patch-filled denim vest and crank Brain Dead to the hilt.
