ALBUM REVIEW: Tremonti - A Dying Machine

I continue to hear these days where is the next big thing in rock/metal? Rock is dead. Or there are no good rock bands these days. But with bands like Five Finger Death Punch, Godsmack, Stone Sour and Alice in Chains either just releasing or on the cusp of a new release I find those to be bullshit statements. And with the recent release of Tremonti’s fourth album, A Dying Machine, I believe on the contrary rock is very much alive and well!

What started as a side project for the Alter Bridge lead guitarist has turned into a full-fledged band. With the release of Tremonti’s debut in 2012 it was obvious what the purpose of this so-called side project was, to fulfill Mark’s desire to produce heavier music. Growing up a fan of bands such as Metallica and Slayer he always had the itch for something on the heavier side than his previous band Creed and current day job, Alter Bridge.

With Mark handling lead guitar and vocals he would be joined by former Submersed members Eric “Erock” Friedman and Garrett Whitlock on guitar and drums respectively. Behind the board would be their unofficial fourth member, Michael “Elvis” Baskette who has worked with Mark since the early days. So where does A Dying Machine stack up against Tremonti’s catalog? Well let’s dive into it.

First off, this record is a different direction than previous Tremonti releases as it’s a narrative. I was a bit skeptical of this as I find these types of albums, sometimes, to be over produced lacking the raw intensity that I’ve come to love with a Tremonti record. Upon hitting play I knew this wouldn’t be an issue. The opening track “Bringer of War” sets the tone for an aggressive record. It’s a great balance of speed and heaviness that gets you excited to hear what’s next. Perfect cut to open the record. Track two, “From The Sky”, would keep this trend going.

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Track three is the album’s title cut “A Dying Machine”. This is one of my favorite’s opening with Whitlock pounding on the skins leading into one of the heavier riffs. This song, to me, really shows Mark’s growth on vocals. With each record he seems to improve as a vocalist and this song really showcases this.

“Trust”, the fourth cut, has a more mellow side to it. With a bit of a faded intro, songs like this as well as “Traipse” and the final vocal cut “Desolation” provide a great balance to the album. In my opinion an artist needs to provide some variety, I believe that’s what sets bands like Metallica above the rest. It’s not going to be just speed or heavy metal, it needs to be well-rounded and that’s exactly what Tremonti accomplishes on A Dying Machine.

Another track that starts off with a bit of a faded drum is “Make It Hurt”. With more of a progressive speed feel to it it’s another unique track that shows the diversity of this band.

The song that tops this album for me is “A Lot Like Sin”, to me this is what a true heavy metal single is all about. As defined it has a thick, massive sound with high amplified distortion, emphatic beats and an overall loudness, “A Lot Like Sin” is just that. I rank it as one of Tremonti’s best right up there with “Doesn’t Matter” from Mark’s debut, “Tie The Noose” from his sophomore effort and “Never Wrong” off of Dust. To me those tracks are the sheer definition of Heavy Metal music.

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Tying off the album is a very cool instrumental “Found”. I love this touch as it gives the record a clean outro. It has a very Nine Inch Nails feel to it. I just love how it finishes off the album.

As the singer/songwriter describes it, “I was warming up on guitar, and I just started writing this chord progression and singing over it, the words, ‘You’re a dying machine’ came out. I thought about the subject matter throughout the night.” This lead to a lyrically driven album about unreciprocated love, obsession and destruction. Accompanied by a novel, A Dying Machine will provide a full-fledged intellectual experience of the arts.

Now back to my original question how does A Dying Machine stack up in the Tremonti catalog? This is tough as Tremonti’s debut, All I Was, is one of my favorite albums but the more I listen to A Dying Machine the closer it is becoming to surpassing Mark’s first solo effort. In short, A Dying Machine is fucking amazing, I absolutely love this record and know any true metal fan out there will as well. This is an extremely well-rounded record; exactly what metal needs to continue its upward climb back to the top of the charts. The record is a must own!

I cannot wait to hear these songs live. Pick up your copy of A Dying Machine anywhere music is sold and check https://www.marktremonti.com/ for upcoming tours dates because what’s better than live music.

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