3RD Machine
Quantified Self

Not the first machine, not the second machine but the third machine and the first album – that is what we have here. Quantified Self is the name of this album, a debut the band describes themselves as very proud of. That is always great because the only opinion that really matters is your own so they can always overlook my review if they think I am in error. The reviews have been outstanding so far, but internet reviewers isn’t really known to be very reliable sources of music criticism. One reviewer even gave them 100 out of 100 points, in my experience that is an impossible score for a work of music at least from all the thousands of albums I have reviewed and heard – maybe this is the best album ever judging by the ratings they have been given in reviews it should be one of the absolute best ever.

Musically I think they can be described as modern metal, almost a bit mechanic. Growly vocals mostly, good variation, great sound, are some things that can be said about this album. It sounds relatively fresh and it is clear that these guys have been working hard with the sound and production of this album. And they have even enlisted some great Dutch musicians to add even more spice to their first album. It is possible that the vocals can be seen as somewhat monotonous and that the album playing for over 50 minutes can be seen as a tad on the long side. Overall I think this is a quality production and that the band has many things going for them.

I think that this is a well-made and good album so maybe it is just me but this album doesn’t really grab me, I have heard it fifteen times now and cannot really remember a note if I don’t play the songs when writing – something I almost never do as I remember the albums I listen to and review. Strange thing is that the songs are quite good when I listen to them but I can’t remember them, maybe I am getting Alzeimers but then again I remember the songs from Evig Natt that I reviewed a while ago or every line of text from Fates Warning’s brilliant A Pleasant Shade of Gray that I haven’t listened to in years. So, is it good or not? I can’t really tell, the album has no weaknesses or anything but it just doesn’t catch me, maybe your mileage may vary as there are some indications from alternate realities that this album is fantastic in that alternate universe.

Good album, recommended for fans of the modern metal genre and if you like that kind of music, like Fear Factory that is often mentioned by the internet reviewers. I don’t want to claim that the band is wrong to be proud of this album, especially if they feel that they have accomplished what they set out to accomplish. But it is a difficult album for me to write about as it doesn’t evoke any emotion, it sort of just is; it is good, it is well-made, it has what a good album should have but it feels kind of sterile and now that it has ended again I cannot remember a single line of text or melody. One of those difficult albums where you might be better of just listening to samples and make up your own mind rather than trying to make sense of what I just try to convey, without success, over 594 words.

 

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