As one would, I expected the new Dool single to be heavy, but it’s nonetheless heavier than I expected it to be, and I’m not complaining. The darkly-progressive Netherlands outfit fronted by Raven van Dorst had a live record out last year that I completely whiffed on because I suck at this, and their last studio LP was 2020’s Summerland (review here). If you heard that at all, you know that one song doesn’t necessarily tell the tale of a whole offering, and no doubt that’s true of “Hermagorgon” as relates to the impending The Shape of Fluidity too, but at least the new track lets you know the spaces the band are working in, and it opens the discussion of the breaking-out-of-gender-binaries-as-a-concept theme, as laid out by the PR wire below.

Dool‘s sound is so dug in, and given the weight of tone here I’m not sure mass appeal would be possible, but there’s definitely a conversation happening with pop and broader culture in sound as well as with modern atmospheric heavy and the Dutch tradition of innovation in same.

One way or the other, I’ll hope to review this one when the time comes. For now:

DOOL announce new album “The Shape of Fluidity” and release lyric video single ‘Hermagorgon’

Preorder link: http://lnk.spkr.media/dool-fluidity

DOOL are now unveiling the lyric video ‘Hermagorgon’ as the first single taken from their forthcoming third full-length “The Shape of Fluidity”. The new album is scheduled for release on April 19, 2024.

DOOL comment: “As one of the first songs that we had woven together for ‘The Shape of Fluidity’, ‘Hermagorgon’ gave us a very clear direction on where we wanted to go musically”, singer Raven van Dorst explains. “The track is about reclaiming space, breaking out of binary constraints, and facing the world head on. This is something that everyone can relate to one way or another. However, this is one of the most personal songs on the album. It describes the internal journey that I’ve gone through over the past few years. The song also displays the birth of the collective songwriting spirit on which this whole album is based, as well as producer Magnus Lindberg’s unique craftsmanship. We’ve been waiting a long time to share this with you.”

Tracklist
1. Venus in Flames
2. Self-Dissect
3. The Shape of Fluidity
4. Currents
5. Evil in You
6. House of a Thousand Dreams
7. Hermagorgon
8. Hymn for a Memory Lost
9. The Hand of Creation

Everything flows, nothing ever stays the same. This notion of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus applies to all of us as life itself is in a constant state of change. The same can be said about the third studio album of the fast-rising Dutch rock band DOOL.

Aptly entitled “The Shape of Fluidity” there is not just musical innovation but the full-length revolves around themes of personal change, physical change, psychological change, and the ever-changing world around us. DOOL and particularly singer and guitarist Raven van Dorst ask questions: How does change affect us? How do we keep being ourselves in a world that is so incredibly demanding and aggressive towards the individual? We must be as fluid as water to navigate ourselves through this ocean of possibilities and uncertainties – and make peace with chaos and impermanence.

Musically, DOOL continue on the path laid out on the two previous studio recordings of heartfelt rock music with added metal elements, while displaying a maturity and focus in songwriting that has grown out of experience. “The Shape of Fluidity” exhibits an eclectic yet seamless amalgamation of progressive and post-rock as well as doom and heavy metal in combination with an inherent catchiness and a dynamic backdrop.

What sets this album apart from its predecessors is the collective endeavour that went into it with the combined forces of songwriting trio Raven, and guitarists Nick Polak and Omar Iskandr. In the rhythm section, bass player JB van der Wal has been joined by the abundant creativity of new drummer Vincent Kreyder. On the technical side of the production, the outstanding engineering and mixing skills of Magnus Lindberg (CULT OF LUNA, RUSSIAN CIRCLES, TRIBULATION) and the excellent mastering by Ted Jensen (AC/DC, TALKING HEADS, MUSE, GHOST) have created the perfect crisp and transparent as well powerful sound for “The Shape of Fluidity”.

It is hardly surprising that the theme of the album that pitches the concept of identity against the backdrop of a world in constant flux connects the album’s lyrics to the biography of lead vocalist Raven. Born intersex, doctors at the time assumed that they could surgically determine which kind of life the infant should lead and decided that the child should be a girl. This has led to a life full of soul searching, fighting taboos and breaking boundaries, until recently Raven decided to reclaim that which others have tried so hard to take away from them, and finally embrace their hermaphroditic nature.

This much more personal approach than before does by no means become self-centred. The lyrics of “The Shape of Fluidity” can easily be read as universal stories about finding oneself, swimming against the stream, and facing the world head on. We are all affected by questions of change and identity, but it is only legitimate and natural that art also reflects the artists as well as the world around them.

The band derived the name DOOL from the Dutch word for ‘wandering’. When their debut album “Here Now, There Then” was released in 2017, it became an instant success. Their fresh and wild rock and metal sound received “Album of the Month” titles in the renowned German magazines Metal Hammer and Rock Hard as well as the “Best Debut Album 2017” award from the former, while Vice (US), Aardschok (NL), and De Volkskrant (NL) happily chimed in with heaping praise on the young Dutch band.

DOOL also established a reputation as an excellent live act that loves to rock stages around the world. They have meanwhile played several tours and often in sold-out venues and performed at all the main festivals such as Wacken Open Air (DE), Graspop (BE), Hellfest (FR), Metal Days (SL), Lowlands (NL), Fortarock (NL), Wave Gotik Treffen (DE), Rock Hard Festival (DE), Stoned from the Underground (DE), Metalitalia Festival (IT), and North of the Wall (UK) among many others.

With their sophomore full-length “Summerland” released in 2020, DOOL successfully exceeded the already sky-high expectations and scored even more “Album of the Month” awards in German Rock Hard (10/10) and Sonic Seducer magazines as well as #2 soundcheck positions in Metal.de, Metal Hammer (DE) and another #1 in the Polish edition – with a pile glowing reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. Having been barred from extensive touring due to the global pandemic, DOOL were finally able to play shows again in front of sold out houses and decided to release the live album “Visions of Summerland” as a gift for their huge following that had patiently waited for the band’s return to the stages.

Last but not least, it is well worth to note the cover art, which completes the Gesamtkunstwerk (synthesis of all arts) of “The Shape of Fluidity”, by physically embodying the concept. Renowned French artist Valnoir (Metastazis) has created a semi-transparent flag through hardening a liquid in a metamorphosis by reducing temperature, which is shown on the cover. Imagery, lyrics, and music all flow together and pose questions about identity, freedom, life, and the will to change things that hold more than just one finger straight at the pulse of the Zeitgeist – but without ever pointing or raising it.

With “The Shape of Fluidity”, DOOL offer so much more than just damn cool music. These extra dimensions of depth and meaning are all part of their unique appeal and come out clearly on the new album. May all those who wander gather under the fluid flag of DOOL!

Release date: April 19, 2024
Style: Dark Rock
Label: Prophecy Productions
Review impact date: March 25, 2024

“The Shape of Fluidity” is available as a 36-page hardcover CD artbook, Gatefold ltd. crystal clear vinyl LP, Gatefold black vinyl LP, and as a Digipak CD.

Recording by Magnus Lindberg & JB van der Wal at DAFT Studios, Malmedy (BE)
Mixed by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios, Stockholm (SE)
Mastering by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, Nashville (US)
Artwork & Layout by Valnoir (Metastazis)

Line-up:
Raven van Dorst – vocals, guitar
Nick Polak – guitar
Omar Iskandr – guitar
Vincent Kreyder – drums
JB van der Wal – bass guitar

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https://dool-nl.bandcamp.com/
http://allthosewhowanderaredool.com/
http://www.allthosewhowanderaredool.bigcartel.com/

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https://prophecy-de.bandcamp.com/

DOOL, “Hermagorgon” official video

Rotterdam heavy psych fuzz rockers The Machine will release their seventh album, Wave Cannon (review here), tomorrow, May 12, as their first offering through Sweden’s Majestic Mountain Records. The record, which you can stream in its entirety below if you’d like to skip the blah blah — I’m not offended, go on — offers a couple crucial lessons to be observed.

For me personally, one of those lessons is that mid-Feb. is too early to review a release that’s not coming out until May. Not the only time I’ve been taught this. For everyone else, primarily, Wave Cannon presents The Machine as a veteran outfit, and fair enough for guitarist, vocalist and remaining founder David Eering starting the band in 2007 and this being their first LP without the original lineup — new-ish bassist Chris Both appears for the first time, now-former drummer Davy Boogaard for the last — and it also demonstrates how a band can move back toward their core sound after progressing in other directions without sounding like they’re doing an impression of themselves.

That’s not a minor line to walk, but the highlight of Wave Cannon is the songs as the band hones a matured vision of the organic jamming and structured craft they’ve harnessed all along, including in 2018’s Faceshift (review here), where the balance tipped toward more noise rocking fare and even the desert rocker felt more intense. Five years later, Wave Cannon hasn’t forgotten and doesn’t neglect the pivot that record accomplished, but it does orient The Machine toward flow rather than thrust, though to be perfectly honest with you, this narrative — that they were jammers who went noise rock and now they’re jamming again — is flawed at best.

Not only does it ignore the ongoing forward progression at work in the material, but it’s not like the band stopped being themselves at any point. At most, it was a shift in balance, and it’s a less radical one in hindsight and in the context of Wave Cannon than it seemed at the time.

As regards the band in general and their standing in the European heavy underground, I prefer to think of Wave Cannon as The Machine claiming their place as having spearheaded the post-Colour Haze generation of heavy psych. And most of all, I take it as a signal that The Machine know who they are and who they want to be as a band, and Wave Cannon feels sustainable in the sense that one can hear signature elements that they can continue to evolve for however long they want to keep going. The band’s already hit the 15-year mark. They’re damn-near statesmen at this point, and I don’t think you could objectively call them old. Listening to these tracks, it’s still more about the future than the past.

Since the review happened dumbass-early, Eering was kind enough to give some track-by-track perspective on the material for your perusal while you listen. Once again, the record is out tomorrow on Majestic Mountain.

Please enjoy.

David Eering – ‘Wave Cannon’ Track-by-Track

Reversion

noisreveR. This is a good example of the overall approach on Wave Cannon. It has thick riffs, a nice melody and a more mellow (positive?) vibe without losing an edge. We more or less abandoned (unintentionally) that with the majority of the previous record Faceshift. The last part of the song probably has the most mellow minutes of the entire album. Ha I said (typed) mellow twice now. Wollem. Anyway, not saying we can even come close to the level of brilliance of The Beatles, but I was inspired by some of their melodies while writing the vocal lines for Reversion. I added a 12-string Danelectro, playing along to the verse melody but a bit low in the mix. This gives it a bit of an eastern feel without being overly out there. Didn’t feel like getting my sitar out of its case.

Genau or Never

The instrumental piece on Wave Cannon. It starts with me picking the strings behind the bridge on my Jazzmaster, with a couple of delay pedals engaged and some other guitar technicalities. The push of the rhythm section is something we’d never really done before; the driving bassline offers me the chance to opt for a more minimalistic approach. This will most likely become a regular in our future live sets. Oh and you can dance to it.

Glider

Chords gliding over the guitar neck! Also slightly referencing the guitar technique of Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine) here, called glide guitar. The lyrics are very personal and tell a story of the impact of the pandemic; we were in the middle of yet another lockdown while working on this. Our usual rehearsal space had to close because of COVID-regulations, but we found another shared place where we could temporarily do our thing. The lyrics describe our different routine at the time for making coffee. I decided to sing “Grinder” instead of Glider just for the hell of it.

Ride On Crash Kick

I think this is the last song we finished. We’ve been struggling with it for a while, it just wouldn’t work somehow. Changing the tuning eventually proved to be the solution. I started to incorporate another alternate tuning on this record and applying that same open tuning to R.O.C.K. made it click.

Return to Sphere (Kneiter II)

By far the longest track on this one. I’m looking forward to play it live every once in a while. Although obviously different, in my head the vibe and structure of the track has a similarity to Sphere (… or Kneiter) of 2012’s Calmer Than You Are. The ambient middle section is me putting a ballpoint pen underneath my strings, plucking strings and basically engage the majority of the pedals I have on my board. Chris comes in at one point with some ambient rumbling bass swells. There’s definitely some Thurston Moore inspired playing later in this track. Getting the vocals right and fitting was a bit of challenge and I went through like 6 different options but I guess I more or less got it to work eventually.

Wave Cannon

My personal favorite on the album, at least to play. Same alternate tuning as Reversion and R.O.C.K. which instantly gives it an uplifting feel, at least to my ears. You can really lean into this groove and its “hang” as we like to call it. I like the vocal melody in conjunction with the guitar part, they go very well together and are quite complementary while doing different things at the same time. The noisey mayhem at the end is just plain fun. Which should be the main reason for this band thing right?

—

Produced, mixed & engineered by David Eering
Digital & vinyl mastering by Pieter Kloos
Written & performed by David Eering, Chris Both and Davy Boogaard

The Machine on ‘Wave Cannon’:
David Eering – guitar/vocals
Chris Both – bass
Davy Boogaard – drums

The Machine:
David Eering – guitar/vocals
Chris Both – bass
Klaas Dijkstra – drums

The Machine, “Wave Cannon” official video

The Machine, “Reversion” official video

The Machine on Facebook

The Machine on Twitter

The Machine on Instagram

The Machine on Bandcamp

The Machine website

Majestic Mountain Records on Instagram

Majestic Mountain Records on Facebook

Majestic Mountain Records store

Holy crap, this record’s not out yet? Serves me right for reviewing it in February. Look, sometimes you get excited about a thing, and The Machine‘s Wave Cannon is legitimately an exciting offering from the Netherlands-based trio, captured in the midst of a lineup transition while reaffirming their foundation in heavy psychedelic rock after years of tipping the balance into noisier fare. The three-piece now comprised of founding guitarist/vocalist David Eering, bassist Chris Both and drummer Klaas Dijkstra have a new video up for the title-track of Wave Cannon, and with the better part of a month to go before the record’s out, if you want an example of what it’s all about, “Wave Cannon” delivers without question.

The clip itself is also a fitting representation, sort of low-key tongue-in-cheek in sending up performance videos of bands in their rehearsal space surrounded by massive amps by not having any, putting a bit of silly dancing in there after three-someodd minutes (and again a couple minutes after that), a thoroughly Dutch dry humor complemented by the black and white presentation as faces are seen mostly in silhouette and the band finish — how else? — with their arms folded in what for heavy rock and roll is somehow a sign of approval. Right on.

Lightly delving into the absurd is nothing new for The Machine, even if it’s new personnel doing so, and whether you’ve followed the band or not, it’s worth keeping in mind that they’re speaking to themselves in terms of influence more than any other act, which isn’t something a band can do without a certain amount of maturity, let alone the actual years and releases behind them. The languid groove, resonant vocal melody, interplay of bass and guitar on “Wave Cannon” all come together to demonstrate strengths that the band has always had in ways that seem as much about their appreciating them as the listener’s, and in that way, the entire album is something of a celebration on both sides. At very least, the video is very likely eight of the best minutes you’ll spend today.

It’s been up since last week, so I’m not claiming timeliness — does my being late with this balance with being so early on the album review? does anyone else ever think of this shit besides me? — but the video follows here and you’ll find the preorder link for Wave Cannon beneath that. It’s out May 14 on Majestic Mountain Records.

Enjoy:

The Machine, “Wave Cannon” official video

“Wave Cannon” by The Machine from their album Wave Cannon (Release date: May 12, 2023)

Pre-order your copy at THE MACHINE here:
https://themachinemerch.bigcartel.com/product/the-machine-lp-wave-cannon-preorder
Pre-order your copy at Majestic Mountain Records here:
https://majesticmountainrecords.bigcartel.com/product/the-machine-wave-cannon-pre-order

[PLAY LOUD]

VIDEO CREDITS
Shot, directed & edited by David Eering
Featuring Chris Both, Klaas Dijkstra and David Eering

MUSIC CREDITS
Produced, mixed & engineered by David Eering
Digital & vinyl mastering by Pieter Kloos
Written & performed by David Eering, Chris Both and Davy Boogaard

The Machine on ‘Wave Cannon’:
David Eering – guitar/vocals
Chris Both – bass
Davy Boogaard – drums

The Machine:
David Eering – guitar/vocals
Chris Both – bass
Klaas Dijkstra – drums

The Machine on Facebook

The Machine on Twitter

The Machine on Instagram

The Machine on Bandcamp

The Machine website

Majestic Mountain Records on Instagram

Majestic Mountain Records on Facebook

Majestic Mountain Records store

It’s a tale of endings, new beginnings and fascinating returns as Rotterdam, the Netherlands-based trio The Machine offer Wave Cannon on May 12 as their first release through Majestic Mountain Records. The band’s seventh album overall, the six-song/41-minute outing follows nearly five years behind 2018’s Faceshift (review here) on their own Awe Records imprint and is the journeyman outfit’s first full-length not to feature the original trio, as bassist Chris Both steps into the low end role in place of original bassist Hans Van Heemst, who left after the last record. Further to the lineup, Wave Cannon is also the last studio recording with the band for drummer Davy Boogaard, who has since left and been replaced by Klaas Dijkstra (also of BUG, Sunday Kids and others). So that’s the beginning and end, and as the trio move into what they jokingly refer to as their ‘mark iv’ incarnation with guitarist/vocalist David Eering as the remaining founding member, it’s also impossible to listen to Wave Cannon in the context of the band’s past work and not think of it as a return to form for them in terms of their re-adopting heavy psychedelia as their principal operating platform.

This appears to be something the band themselves acknowledge, leading off as they do with “Reversion” (video premiering below) and featuring “Return to Sphere (Kneiter II)” on side B in apparent answer to the jammy “Sphere (…Or Kneiter)” from 2012’s Calmer Than You Are (review here), their fourth LP and second for Elektrohasch after 2011’s Drie (review here). Those records, which followed 2009’s Solar Corona (review here) and their 2007 debut, Shadow of the Machine, formed a narrative of progression in jam-based heavy psychedelic rock such that in 2013 when The Machine offered their split with fellow Dutch upstarts Sungrazer (review here), the most palpable takeaway was the signal that a new generation was ascending in the style. 2015’s duly exclamatory Offblast! (review here) pushed deeper into the noise rock/early grunge that first seemed to make its presence felt circa 2012 and that would become more primary in the balance of their songwriting on Faceshift, complicating that narrative while making it no less true — there in fact was a new generation coming up — and Wave Cannon is in essence a realignment of their priorities, sonically speaking, embracing some of the atmospheres and methods of their earlier work.

But of course, you can’t go back in time and The Machine have been around long enough at this point that they know better than to try. And just for a disclaimer, there are no absolutes in discussion here. The urgency of push in Faceshift is not completely absent from Wave Cannon just as their previously-more-prevalent lysergic warmth wasn’t completely absent from Faceshift. But the dreamy drift of Eering‘s vocals on “Reversion” and the steady, thickened but welcoming roll that backs them, punchy bass and steadily plodding drums smoothly transitioning to the spacious and subtly tense drone-topped break in the song’s second half, is a turn. And it’s telling that once “Reversion” departs its verse/chorus progression, it doesn’t come back, fading gradually instead to silence ahead of the captured sound either of water running on some kind of chime or I’m not sure what that starts “Genau or Never,” second in the three-song salvo of six-minute tracks on side A. With the lightly spaced groove and ambient guitar of the intro, one can’t help but be reminded of a more insistent take on Colour Haze‘s She Said — not a compliment I hand out lightly, if ever — though the wash that “Genau or Never” enacts is its own no matter how the snare cuts through its instrumental course.

Near the halfway point, “Genau or Never” unveils its lead melody line in the guitar, and that takes the place of vocals with a feel that’s improvised or at least born out of improvisation, doling out a goodly portion of mounting feedback as it becomes more and more of a wash. The Machine turn to hit-hit-hit-hit as the build comes to a head, and then crash with more than a minute still to go in the track, Eering‘s guitar plucking residual notes in as the feedback sirens over the comedown, not quite harsh enough to bite, but not entirely friendly either; an edge that suits it, giving over directly to “Glider” which might be named for the fuzzy line of lead guitar that winds through the verse. Vocals are mellow and still effects-laced, but more up front than in “Reversion” and the layering in the chorus underscores just how much The Machine are themselves here without necessarily repeating their past or forgetting where they’ve been in terms of sound. “Glider” has a build of its own, the drums growing more intense post-midpoint before a stop brings back the chorus, bringing a sense of structure to “Glider” that “Reversion” began Wave Cannon by actively skirting. The song comes apart like it’s almost sad to go, and that brings “Ride on Crash Kick,” the shortest track at 3:35, and an energetic burst that ends side A.

In what’s clearly an intentional contrast, “Ride on Crash Kick” surges forward in a way more characteristic of Offblast! or some of Faceshift‘s shove-prone fare, but is less raw-grunge on the whole — it is fuller, richer in the guitar and bass tones — and the vocals are still underwater in terms of effects, but they’re through at a sprint and end with feedback as if to pushback against the expectation that they should be all one thing or the other; a defiance of genre that’s become a part of who The Machine are and maybe executed with a bit of good humor as well, or at least a sense of fun. Side B finds “Return to Sphere (Kneiter II)” beginning softly. The longest cut at 12:38, it’s in no rush at first, but kicks in after about a minute and is in a swirling verse highlighted by a terrestrial, forward rhythm that holds it together as the guitar spaces out and the vocals find their way into a layered hook. The bass is a standout, and the sharper edges of the solo circa four and a half minutes in are well placed.

Over the next couple minutes, they move toward a crashout and by the time they’re past 7:30, the residual noise is on the fade and “Return to Sphere (Kneiter II)” devolves into choppy waveform undulations, ethereal and shimmering but still tense in rhythm, and the grace with which they bring it back to its rocking finish — shades of Elder in the noodly guitar atop the swinging drums — is not to be ignored as another sign of their whole-band maturity. It’s not a song they could’ve written when they wrote “Sphere (…Or Kneiter),” but on Wave Cannon, “Return to Sphere (Kneiter II)” is a triumph of The Machine laying claim to the totality of their aesthetic, new, old and thinking forward.

The closing title-track, at 7:11, is the only other piece on side B, and its brash intro seems to signal elbows to be thrown as it barrels through, but the verse is more patient than it at first might come across, and the chorus builds on the standout that was “Glider” as a precursor to the jam to come. More even than the consuming depth of noise that they shift into as “Wave Cannon” reaches its apex — a progression begun with the turn of drums at three minutes in that carries the song and album to their pulsating-feedback end — it’s the manner in which “Wave Cannon” ties together the various aspects of The Machine‘s work, so as to give a sense of completion to Wave Cannon; the band coming full circle without necessarily winding up where they started.

Ultimately, that is Wave Cannon‘s greatest accomplishment — that is refreshing in its take even as it speaks to where The Machine came from. As bandleader — a role he’ll have to play all the more as the only founder left — Eering puts clear attention into composition, but Wave Cannon is in no way overly restrained, and when it does let loose, as on “Reversion,” it is organic in its movement toward noise, far-out trance-induction, and so on. The Machine were kids when they started out. They’re not kids anymore, and that they’re able to harness the learning they’ve done across their years and albums up to this point and to channel it all into one collective, self-aware cannon boom is only one more example of how special a band they’ve made themselves during their time. Whatever their future brings in terms of the balance in their sound, Wave Cannon states clearly they’re able to do whatever they want and make it their own. An absolute victory for a group whose presence in Europe’s heavy underground has never felt more essential.

The video for “Reversion” premieres below, followed by a few words from Eering and more about the album.

Please enjoy:

The Machine, “Reversion” video premiere

David Eering on “Reversion”:

We’re glad to be able to share the first song from Wave Cannon. Also the first track on the album, “Reversion” sets the tone for the other songs. It has a more old-school-Machine mellow vibe, but better and with more attention to melody. Like with the other five tracks, “Reversion” just might have something to offer to both a new audience and fans of the band’s heavy psych side of earlier years. In a way, we reconnected with our spaced out past while still sustaining an evolution of the band’s sound.

I recorded a visual interpretation of the music, which (without giving away too much) focuses on the important things in life. But backwards. And backwards in reverse. I suppose you just have to watch it.

Majestic Mountain Records are pleased to announce the signing of The Machine.

A band we’ve long been fans of and are exceedingly proud to present to you at this point in their incredibly prolific career, ‘Wave Cannon,’ their 7th full length album is coming to you this May with the full Majestic treatment.

Today we’re psyched to bring you the worldwide premiere of the first single ‘Reversion’..

David (vox/guitar) tells us: “We’re happy to announce that we signed with MMR for the release of our 7th album “Wave Cannon”. It’s great to be able to work with a label that is open-minded, stands for high quality releases and supports our quirky DIY ethic. Hey ho let’s go!”

MMR is thrilled to welcome The Machine to the roster, and we’re positively stoked to get this spectacular album into your ears. Coming your way are two gorgeous colour variations in addition to an old school, solid black “audiophile” edition.

(There will also be a retail exclusive edition.)

The first single ‘Reversion,’ a captivating track built around beautifully melodic hooks and is a gritty, slightly grungy expansively spaced-out jaunt into an otherworldly realm of shimmering, sonic dream states, yet firmly anchored in the now with a fresh and powerful energy.

The Machine harness a deeply psychedelic flow of perpetual finesse, yet somehow retain captivating power while dulcetly drifting on a more grunge-gaze plain, laced through heavy, melodic harmonics and exceptionally cohesive composition.

With a new, renewed purpose and inspiration to further explore the core fabric of The Machine’s trademark heavy grooves, the band is pushing the envelope of texturally atmospheric fuzz and big riffs with a refreshed rhythm section comprised of new members Chris Both (bass) and drummer Klaas Dijkstra alongside the magnetic guitar and vocal presence of founding member David Eering.

The band bring us seven astonishingly fresh and electrifying tracks of The Machine redefined, without losing their original, heavy essence. With entrancing songcraft at its genesis, ‘Wave Cannon’ shows us THE MACHINE as we have never heard them before yet indulges our love for their original, heavy psychedelic nature.

VINYL PRE-ORDER FOR ‘WAVE CANNON’ OPENS February 17th at 19:00 CET/1pm EDT/10am PDT/6pm BST.

Official release May 12th.

—

“Reversion” by The Machine from their album Wave Cannon (Release date: May 05, 2023)
Album pre-order will start on Feb 17 at 19:00 CET.

[PLAY LOUD]

VIDEO CREDITS
Filmed & edited by David Eering
Produced by The Machine
Featuring Chris Both, David Eering and Klaas Dijkstra

MUSIC CREDITS
Produced, mixed & engineered by David Eering
Digital & vinyl mastering by Pieter Kloos
Written & performed by David Eering, Chris Both and Davy Boogaard

The Machine on ‘Wave Cannon’:
David Eering – guitar/vocals
Chris Both – bass
Davy Boogaard – drums

The Machine:
David Eering – guitar/vocals
Chris Both – bass
Klaas Dijkstra – drums

The Machine on Facebook

The Machine on Twitter

The Machine on Instagram

The Machine on Bandcamp

The Machine website

Majestic Mountain Records on Instagram

Majestic Mountain Records on Facebook

Majestic Mountain Records store

It’s easy to appreciate how sans-drama the relatively few lineup changes in The Machine have been over the band’s time. 2018’s Faceshift (review here) marked the final appearance of bassist Hans van Heemst, and their already-recorded, title-not-yet-revealed next full-length will be the last showing for drummer Davy Boogaard as well — hey, you get older, priorities change, I get it; everybody put in their time — which leaves guitarist/vocalist David Eering as the last founder, but at least publicly, nobody’s ever told anyone to screw off. Boogaard played his last show with the band this Fall, and the vibe I got was that it was bittersweet and just a case of it being time to move on. These things happen.

In the New Year, the Rotterdam trio will press forward with Klaas Dijkstra, Eering, and bassist Chris Both, legitimately marking the beginning of a new era for the group. I don’t know that our paths will cross and I’ll get to see them on stage (not impossible, not overly likely), but I know that Eering bleeds for this band and they wouldn’t still be going if he didn’t have a project he believed in. To the future, then.

Onward:

ANNOUNCEMENT – THE MACHINE 2023

Please meet The Machine’s new drummer, Klaas Dijkstra (BUG, Sunday Kids, Night Of The Lotuseater).

Klaas will take on his duties effective immediately which introduces The Machine Mark IV. We are currently rehearsing for 2023 live shows and are looking forward to present you this lineup on stage next year. Klaas’ approach to playing drums provides some fresh impulses to the band, which is being put to use while getting both familiar with our back catalog as well as jamming on new material. After 15 years, it is the start of a new and exciting chapter of this band.

2023 will also mark the release of our already recorded and finished 7th full length album. We are in full preparation of its release together with our new record label, more details to follow around February. Onwards and upwards!

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The Machine, Faceshift (2018)

Post-metallic scathebringers Gavran release their second full-length, Indistinct Beacon, this Friday Dec. 2 through Dunk!records. The Rotterdam-based trio of vocalist/drummer Jamie Kobić, guitarist Freek van Rooyen and bassist Ritsaart Vetter debuted in 2020 with Still Unavailing, and the return appearance brings an additional song with five longform tracks instead of four and an accompanying expansion of atmosphere. Crush-tone guitar and bass meet with floating melodic vocal drone and throatripping screams as aspects of black metal, sludge, post-metal and more besides come together in an identity that is abidingly dark but not totally void of hope. It is a sound that, given proper volume, will surround the listener on all sides with its heft, and that even in the somewhat inevitable-feeling ambient breaks, maintains its grim viewpoint.

The first element introduced on opener “Dvorac” (9:50) is the guitar, and the drums join soon after, setting up the burst to full volume soon enough to take place. An undulating riff takes hold that becomes the central nod of the piece, and before they’re two minutes in, the verse is underway, clean vocals echoing out their first impression from suitably deep in the mix, the bass-fueled largesse making the human presence seem that much smaller in this dark otherworld. Screams aren’t far behind, but one wouldn’t call Gavran impatient in their presentation. It is a methodical unfolding, not hurried. This too becomes one of the main aural themes of Indistinct Beacon; a fluidity that carries across from one part, one song to the next, and though they’re prone to interrupting themselves — who isn’t? — there’s a consciousness underlying their craft such that the midsection break in “Dvorac” conveys its temporariness outright. They know they’re coming back hard, you know it, and when it hits, it’s no less satisfying for that, an admirably-throated scream leading the way once more unto the rolling morass.

“Talas” (10:06) is only 16 seconds longer than the leadoff, but feels purposefully placed in the tracklisting for symmetry as Gavran alternate between nine-minute and 10-plus-minute tracks; three of the former, two of the latter. In any case, it is a substantial lurch. The vocals take a somewhat Jesu-ian tack, and come through as emotive despite the fury of the screams that complement/swallow-whole (depending on how you look at it) with the accompanying riff a march almost in spite of itself. They seem to push deeper shortly before three minutes in, but the pace is still purposeful and emphasizes each strum, thud, rumble. The snap to sparse and soft guitar (at 3:23) isn’t telegraphed, which is a bonus, and it functions as the bottom of a build that comes all the way back just before the song hits its eighth minute. This is the pattern, the back and forth, but some standout shimmer-guitar in the final moments of “Talas” as they head toward Indistinct Beacon‘s centerpiece “Dim” (9:18) lets the listener know Gavran still haven’t necessarily played their full hand, and the speedier push that ensues, definitively post-metallic, manifests a sense of controlled chaos that feels like what “Talas” was working all along to set up.

So be it. “Dim” takes a structural sidestep from “Dvorac” and “Talas” in pushing its quiet part deeper into the procession, but it’s still there, and particularly as compared to “Talas,” it feels like the threat of the reprisal invariably to follow is never gone. Gavran, obviously schooled in European post-metal, take those tenets unto their own, and it is the bending of stylistic tropes to their will that distinguishes them, as well as the fluidity of their overarching groove and the not-nascent-but-developing dynamic of clean and harsh vocals. Some tremolo hints at black metal near “Dim”‘s midpoint, but they ride their momentum well into the brief respite before, in righteous doom fashion, coming back slower and sounding that much heavier for it, vocals taking on a likewise nasty form. In this way, the quiet start of the penultimate “Duhovi” (11:05) is even more an example of how Indistinct Beacon is purposefully laid out, since the subdued start and buildup feels very much like it’s meant to follow the ending of “Dim” before, each song having its own presence but clearly intended to bolster each other; a classic method put to use well in service to Gavran‘s declarations.

“Duhovi” is a highlight and holds back its screams until the ending, a kind of restraint that the band haven’t yet shown that results in more of a heavygaze vibe, though in the context of its surroundings it’s not necessarily a departure in atmosphere so much as a lean toward a different side of the approach they’ve already been using. Still, it works well across Indistinct Beacon‘s longest inclusion, and allows for a flow that’s a standout and all the more hypnotic in its repetitions of riff, feeling both like a conscious choice and something of a developmental milestone for Gavran; perhaps a harbinger of things to come. It is in only in the last 30 seconds of the song that a measure or two is scream-topped, and as closer “Pesak” (9:22) offers its first lighter strums before everybody clicks on their pedals, the flash of the visceral is a prime transition. With “Pesak,” the call is to summarize and wrap up, the pointed sub-shove culminating in layers of harsh and clean vocals together at last, after the requisite break resumes in duly consuming fashion for a whole-record finale, after which they cap with a momentary epilogue of quiet guitar. This too, passing.

As we move into what used to pass for winter around where I live, I find the gray skies and dry-skin-cracking on my knuckles a fitting setting to welcome Indistinct Beacon. It’s a cliché to call post-metal cold-feeling, but the manner in which Gavran create space throughout this sophomore LP can almost certainly see its own breath, and if I note its darkness again, it’s only because the material is dark enough that it bears repeating. Nonetheless, the considered, thoughtful nature of composition on the trio’s part comes through the rawness of even their most turbulent stretches, and they sound most of all like a band who know what they want to bring forth from themselves and their expressive, often punishing take. To say it plainly, they are of microgenre and finding ways to push those boundaries where one ends and another starts, turning that process into identity as they go. Indistinct Beacon, then, is both somber and brutal.

I’m glad to be able to host the full album stream below. You’ll find it followed by more PR wire background on the band, in blue as always.

Thanks and enjoy:

Gavran was conceived in the fall of 2017, during a time when we (guitarist Freek van Rooyen and drummer/vocalist Jamie Kobić) were desperately looking for something to hold on to. With Ritsaart Vetter joining on bass in October 2018 our first significant line-up was formed.

Their debut album “Still Unavailing” was released in March 2020 and was well received. Drawing inspiration from bands like Neurosis, YOB and Amenra and being mixed/produced by Tim de Gieter (Amenra, Doodseskader) the album sounds massive, heavy and emotive. Being released during covid times the record was the perfect soundtrack for living in isolation. “Still Unavailing” was also nominated for album of the year in their homecity Rotterdam.

After their hard hitting debut “Still Unavailing” Gavran now returns with “Indistinct Beacon”. Again working with Tim de Gieter (Amenra, Doodseskader) and with a finishing touch from Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker,…), the band shows a more melodic side on their second full length without losing the impact of their first record. Drawing from many related genres, seamlessly combining elements from doom, sludge, shoegaze and post-rock.

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Kind of a surprise here. Davy Boogaard‘s departure from Dutch heavy trio The Machine — who’ve done the jam thing, done the noise thing, and are soon enough to unveil their next album, which puts a neat bow on all of it while still kicking ass — leaves David Eering (guitar/vocals) as the lone remaining original member. Former bassist Hans van Heemst departed following 2018’s Faceshift (review here), and has since been replaced by Chris Both (also Sepiroth) after a stint with Sander Haagmans (ex-Sungrazer) filling in. Somehow, for a band who had so much chemistry between them for so long, losing another original third feels big, even as Eering and Both are committed to keeping it going.

Boogaard will play one more show with The Machine on Nov. 16 and will appear on the aforementioned next album as his final act with the band. Eering and Both are accepting submissions for drummers now — you can see their email below if you want to reach out — and at least from where I’m sitting that seems like a really good gig to drum your way into. The stream of Faceshift is at the bottom of this post if you doubt me, and there’s the rest of their Bandcamp linked, though if you need more convincing you might not want to apply anyway.

And in case it needs to be said, best wishes to Boogaard, who seems to be leaving on good terms. All the best to him in future endeavors and thanks for the rock and roll these last 15 years.

From social media:

Hear here, a message from David & Chris.

Davy will be leaving the band. He managed to ride it out for 15 years, but at one point you’ve just got to go with the flow. Thanks for all the good times brother! Davy’s personal statement about his departure is in the comments.

Just to be clear: The Machine will continue. 100%. Our upcoming show at @effenaar Club Void @intothevoidfestival (Nov 16) with @samavayo will be Davy’s farewell show. There’s an already finished new album waiting for its turn to be released. That will be Davy’s final output with the band. We will be able to share details on the album’s release during the months to come. It’s our best one by the way and there’s a new record label for this one.

We are now obviously challenged with a vacancy. If you are or know a hard hitting and super tight drummer with the right amount of feel and experimental tendencies, take a chance and get in touch directly. Drop us a DM or use david@themachineweb.com. We have our rehearsal room in Sliedrecht, 25 mins drive south of Rotterdam.

This puts us at the dawn of a new era of the band. The only way is forward!

Dear all,

With a heavy heart I regret to tell you that I will quit being the drummer of The Machine. After having played with great pleasure for over 15 years, I call it quits. I’d like to spend more time on other important aspects of my life, especially my kids and family.

I enjoyed all the years spent with this band. I went to countries & cities I otherwise would have never seen, played fantastic stages and met a lot of wonderful people. I should thank a lot of people but I’d honestly don’t know where to begin. Thanks to all of you! Thank you to everyone that has supported the band, friends, family… it all meant and means a lot to me.

Special thanks to Matte, Lara and Kat (Sound of Liberation), a lot of gratitude for the energy you put in and the wonderful times we had together! Sander Haagmans, thanks for stepping in after Hans’ departure. You really helped David and me out on a moment where we were uncertain about the continuation of the band. You’re a fantastic musician and above all an amazing dude.

My biggest thanks go out to David, Chris and Hans. It was a pleasure to be able to play with you guys, thanks for the insane amounts of fun that we had on the road. It is impossible to write down in such a small piece how important you were to me (and still are). Love you guys. I wish David and Chris all the best in the future. This band will also carve its path without me, no doubt about it.

On the 16th of November at Effenaar (Club Void), I will play my final show with The Machine. I dread going and look forward to playing this show at the same time, but I’d like to share the stage with my brothers once more. Maybe I see you then, maybe I see you around another time.

Lots of love,
Davy

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The Machine, Faceshift (2018)

Ah, the Netherlands in the Springtime. Maybe it’ll be cold and rainy, maybe it’ll be sunny and warm, but one way or the other, new life will abound, and all the better, since Dool‘s second album, Summerland (review here), deserves no less. The record came out on April 10, 2020, and as regards timing, it would be hard to find worse. Eyes and ears were simply elsewhere in that particular moment, and amid all the anxiety, panic, and mask-donning, there was so much that was subsumed in the surrounding noise.

For good reason, don’t get me wrong, but two years after the fact, as Dool look to return to touring life in their home country, it feels due. They were an act with momentum on their side before, and I can’t help but wonder if the band have spent some of their not-playing-shows interim writing perhaps for a third long-player. They wouldn’t be alone either way, but until then if ‘then,’ it’s cool to see them getting out even if I won’t get to see them. If you’d like a refresher, Summerland is streaming in full at the bottom of this post via the Bandcamp embed.

Dates follow, should you happen to be in that lovely part of the world come April:

This is finally happening. We can’t wait to bring the songs of Summerland to you live on stage.

These are our Dutch clubshows for this spring. Some already sold out, some still have tickets available.

Support is rotating between Ggu:ll, Modder and Witte Wieven.

30 MAR: Effenaar, Eindhoven – NL
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/2bt2bjxs

01 APR: Het Bolwerk, Sneek – NL
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/2p8rfx93

02 APR: ‘t Beest, Goes – NL
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/3fanzrh3

03 APR: Patronaat Haarlem – NL
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/55fet27d

07 APR: Metropool, Hengelo – NL
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/yckn68r5

14 APR: Doornroosje, Nijmegen – NL – SOLD OUT

15 APR: Burgerweeshuis, Deventer – NL
Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/4r4uufe8

21 APR: Tivoli de Helling, Utrecht, NL – SOLD OUT

28 APR: Vera Groningen – NL – SOLD OUT

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Dool, Summerland (2020)