MUSIC REVIEW: TREMONTI – A Dying Machine

Label: Napalm Records

Release Date: June 8, 2018

Rating: 10/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

Mark Tremonti has the golden touch in my opinion.  It doesn’t matter whether he was writing hits as part of Creed, currently releasing killer studio album after studio album as part of Alter Bridge, or as the frontman of the eponymously named band Tremonti.  They recently released their fourth disc of music – A Dying Machine.  Disc opener “Bringer Of War” comes out swinging with a killer riff and soon the drums and bass kick in and we are off and running.  The tempo and cool sound of this track sets the bar for the rest of the disc.  “From The Sky” has a different feel than the previous track, but is just as intense.  The guitars, bass, and drums all swirl perfectly in the mix and provide a great canvas for the vocals to splash across, especially once the song moves from the verse into the chorus.  “Trust” opens with a muted sound that quickly morphs into a solid rocker that blends a heavy vibe and a modern rock groove, creating another weapon for Mark, Eric, and Garrett’s collective arsenal.  This is one of the catchier track on the disc.  “Make It Hurt” is solid Tremonti material, from the guitar sound to the thunderous drums to the pounding bass lines that dot the bottom line.  The vocals are icing on the proverbial cake.  “The First The Last” is a beautiful track that has a killer riff that duets with Mark’s vocals through the opening verse.  The song develops and takes on a great rock vibe as the chorus kicks in.  This song blends the different facets of the trio’s writing and delivers a solid track that is lyrically one of my favorites in their catalog.  “The Day When Legions Burned” is all thrash… and that’s a good thing.  Friedman’s bass and Whitlock’s drums elevate this song, as they give the track perfect cadence and punch underneath the guitars and vocals.  “Take You With Me” is a great song that leans more into rock than thrash with a solid rhythm section holding down the fort while Tremonti’s guitar and vocals steal the show on this song.

Title track “A Dying Machine” has killer riffs, a pounding bottom end, and lyrics and a chorus that draws you in from open to close.  This song builds on the heavy rock sound Tremonti has developed over the last few discs and adds a different vibe through the songs vocal delivery – this is one of his best vocals yet.  “Throw Them To The Lions” has a cool riff that kicks the track into gear, but the raging guitars and breakneck drumming make the track come to life.  The lyrical content is accentuated by the heavy handed playing from the trio.  The breakdowns and acceleration on the verses create a cool sound and give the song a different feel than others on the disc.  “Traipse” unfolds like no other track on the collection, coming off like a ballad… but that ideology shifts as the instrumentation and vocals twist and turn into a heavy track at the chorus.  The shift in delivery is a welcome change to the disc, as it shows us a different side of the band and their sound.  “A Lot Like Sin” is another great track that features chugging riffs, cool solos, and an awesome bottom end that supports the vocals, both lead and layered backgrounds.  The chorus is contagious and results in what should be a great live track.  “As The Silence Becomes Me” is a nondescript tune that blends in between the different tracks well, letting the guitars and vocals swirl together in the mix with the drums and bass acting as support.  “Desolation” is a track that could as easily been recorded by any of Marks’ other projects.  The vocals are solid and the guitars perfectly compliment them while the tempo of the drums keep the song flowing underneath.  Disc closer “Found” is an interesting instrumental piece to end the collection… but not out of realm of the discs overall sound and vibe.

Tracklisting: Bringer Of War – From The Sky – A Dying Machine – Trust – Throw Them To The Lions – Make It Hurt – Traipse – The First The Last – A Lot Like Sin – The Day When Legions Burned – As The Silence Becomes Me – Take You With Me – Desolation – Found

TREMONTI LINKS:

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A DYING MACHINE – ITUNES

Category: CD Reviews