Meat Machine (album)

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MEAT MACHINE
Studio album by
Obsidian Kingdom
ReleasedSeptember 25, 2020
RecordedSummer 2019 at
Ax Studios, Barcelona
Genreindustrial rock, post-metal, experimental rock, electronica, sludge metal
Length47:38
LabelSeason of Mist
ProducerJorge Mur
Obsidian Kingdom chronology
A Year With No Summer
(2016) 		MEAT MACHINE
(2020)

MEAT MACHINE is the third studio album by Barcelona-based band Obsidian Kingdom. It features ten songs that draw from a diverse range of styles including experimental rock, industrial rock, post-metal, sludge and electronica.[1] The album was released by Season of Mist on September 25, 2020, with artwork designed by Elena Gallen and Ritxi Ostáriz.[2]

The release received generally favorable reviews from critics worldwide,[3][4][5] who praised its variety[6] and unpredictability.[7] With regard to its experimental value, Trent Bos from Heavy Blog is Heavy wrote that "Metal needs bands to continue to push the boundaries of what it can be, and that’s exactly what MEAT MACHINE has accomplished".[8]

Style[edit]

MEAT MACHINE is noted for creatively combining a wide range of disparate styles and influences,[9][10] its clear and aggressive production[11][12] and the creation of cinematic atmospheres with disturbing undertones.[7][13] Regarding the combination of ambiance and violence, Sophie Maugan from Metal Hammer wrote that "the songs are equally immersive and destined to enthrall anyone with a penchant for altered states and arse-shattering riffs".[6]

It is also the first time that the band uses female vocals, sung by guitarist Eaten Roll I, in contrast with Rider G Omega's death growls.[13]

Production[edit]

Initially, the band intended for MEAT MACHINE to be an electronic album.[14] One year before the recording, the band handed the album demo to producer Jorge Mur, who rejected the material due to finding it uninteresting, which led the band to re-write the whole work.[15]

The album was recorded, mixed, and produced in the summer of 2019 by Jorge Mur at Ax Studios in Barcelona, and co-produced by Mr Ax and the band itself. It was mastered by Magnus Lindberg at Redmont Studio in Stockholm in November 2019.[16]

Shortly before the end of the recording, guitarist Eaten Roll I decided to leave the band due to internal tensions.[14][17]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Metal Hammer[18]
Mondo Sonoro[19]
Metal1.info[20]
Distorted Sound[21]

MEAT MACHINE was met with positive reviews that highlighted its weirdness[8][11] and its replayability[10][22] in spite of its demanding production.[13][23] But the trait that was most often brought into focus was its eclecticism[1][7] – while most reviewers found the mix of styles to be bold and enticing,[9][11] others thought it to be incoherent and confusing.[24][25] In this respect, Langdon Hickman from Consequence of Sound wrote that "Obsidian Kingdom are a band that feels like they can syncretistically alloy anything under the sun".[1]

In December 2020, Mondo Sonoro declared MEAT MACHINE the "Best Spanish Metal Album" of 2020.[26]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Obsidian Kingdom

No.TitleLength
1."THE EDGE"3:55
2."THE PUMP"4:24
3."MR PAN"5:38
4."NAKED POLITICS"4:05
5."FLESH WORLD"6:15
6."MEAT STAR"4:41
7."SPANKER"4:18
8."VOGUE"3:41
9."WOMB OF WIRE"5:16
10."A FOE"5:26
Total length:47:38

Personnel[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Mining Metal: The best underground metal releases of September 2020". Consequence of Sound. 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  2. ^ "Ritxi Ostáriz. Visual designer". www.ritxiostariz.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  3. ^ "ALBUM REVIEW: MEAT MACHINE – Obsidian Kingdom". Distorted Sound Magazine. 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
  4. ^ "Obsidian Kingdom, crítica de su disco Meat Machine (2020)". MondoSonoro (in Spanish). 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
  5. ^ Grütz, Moritz (18 November 2020). "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine • Review". Metal1.info (in German). Retrieved 2021-01-18.
  6. ^ a b September 2020, Sophie Maughan 30 (30 September 2020). "Obsidian Kingdom's Meat Machine: mind-altering menace from post-metal shapeshifters". Metal Hammer Magazine. Retrieved 2021-01-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b c "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine – Scream Blast Repeat – Reviews". Scream Blast Repeat. 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  8. ^ a b Bos, Trent (14 September 2020). "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine – Heavy Blog Is Heavy". www.heavyblogisheavy.com. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  9. ^ a b "REVIEW: Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine". Tuonela Magazine. 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  10. ^ a b Paliwal, Vidur (2020-09-21). "Obsidian Kingdom – "Meat Machine"". Everything Is Noise. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  11. ^ a b c "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine Review". Pit of Plagues. 2020-09-24. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  12. ^ Bacon, Matt. "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine". Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  13. ^ a b c "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine (Season of Mist) ⋆ Ave Noctum". Ave Noctum. 2020-09-23. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  14. ^ a b Walczak, Stefan. "AirdriftSignals EXCLUSIVE: Barcelona-based alternative heavy metal group Obsidian Kingdom discuss their new LP, MEAT MACHINE". Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  15. ^ "Obsidian Kingdom is pushing boundaries with their new album Meat Machine". Metal in Metal Out. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  16. ^ "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine". Discogs. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  17. ^ Rockzone (2020-10-01). "Entrevista a Obsidian Kingdom – La ley de la carne". RockZone (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  18. ^ Maugan (September 2020). "Obsidian Kingdom's Meat Machine: mind-altering menace from post-metal shapeshiftersfirst=Sophie". Loudersound. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  19. ^ Acero, Fernando (October 2020). "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine". Mondo Sonoro. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  20. ^ Grütz, Moritz (November 2020). "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine". Metal1.info. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  21. ^ Savic, Niko (October 2020). "ALBUM REVIEW: MEAT MACHINE – Obsidian Kingdom". Distorted Sound. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  22. ^ Bacon, Matt. "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine". Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  23. ^ Dakoutros, Matthew (2020-11-10). "Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine". The Progspace. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  24. ^ "REVIEW: Obsidian Kingdom – Meat Machine (Musicalypse Archive)". Tuonela Magazine. 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  25. ^ "Neoprog – chronique – Meat Machine". www.neoprog.eu. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  26. ^ "Los mejores discos de metal nacional de 2020 según Mondo Sonoro". MondoSonoro (in Spanish). 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
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