MOTORBAND - review added 7th December 2009
Album Review: Heart Of The Machine (2009)
For fans of: Metal... and, er, full-on Opera
What can you say about Czech metallers Motorband? They've been going since 1986, released several successful singles and albums, had numerous line-up changes (the present only existing since 2008), and seemingly have the ability to make music that's both terrible and brilliant at the same time.
The current iteration of this long-lasting band is Radek Popel on vocals, Libor Matejcik and Martin Przeczek on guitar, Sláva Safonkin on bass, and Dan Haftstein on drums. Heart Of The Machine follows 2003's Satisfakce.
The sound? Well...for the most part it's rough and ready modernized heavy metal, arguably somewhere between Manowar and Nickelback. Yes, I know there's a big gulf between those two bands but, seriously, you can hear both of them on this album...often side by side.
Heart Of The Machine occasionally borders on brilliance, admittedly a very rough version of brilliance, but brilliance all the same. The title track is achingly catchy, the chorus of 'The Best Of You' isn't bad either. 'Turn The Hourglass' has its moments, as does 'Don't Make Me Cry', 'Higher Then Eagles Fly', 'Tell Me Why' and the mad 'Hi Di Ho'. None of them are classically superb tracks, but it's hard not to have a soft spot for their very basic charms.
Overall this is a rough pile of manly noise equivalent to a 3000bhp dragster with fuelling problems and a wobbly supercharger. It's loud, powerful and not unattractive sonically, but you know with some tweaks - some minor, some major - it could blow you into the middle of next week.
Check out... The bonus track 'Amore Vittoria' is basically an opera singer - Peter Dvorský - with Motorband in accompaniment. It's an excellent performance, but unsurprisingly out of place here. For a blast of culture, it's brilliant though.
Track List:
01. Heart Of The Machine
02. The Best Of You
03. Turn The Hourglass
04. Cannibal In My Head
05. I'm Rocking Hero
06. Don't Make Me Cry
07. Heartbroken
08. Higher Then Eagles Fly
09. Turn Me On
10. Tell Me Why
11. If You Want It
12. I'm Going To Fly
13. Hi Di Ho
Artist's website(s): Motorband , MySpace
