Mechanimal
Delta Pi Delta

When I first listened to Mechanimal a year ago, I breathed a sigh of relief: it was still possible to produce "badass" records with raw sounds, dark tones, and captivating melodies. Even better: Mechanimal is a Greek group, and I was delighted to see that, despite the crisis and recent political issues, there were still people who knew how to make Art!

That's why when I discovered that Mechanimal had released their new album at the beginning of 2016, I rushed to listen to it. What can I say… At first, what I felt might resemble a kind of disappointment. The wonderful male voice from the first two CDs (one of those powerful voices that I really like) was replaced by a female voice that failed to captivate me. Exit also the beautiful dark arrangements… this time the sound is noticeably cleaner and (dare I say it?) more commercial. I also miss those cultured references that characterized the first two albums (reference to the Moirai who cut the thread of life in "We Come Alive", reference to Sisyphus in "Schnitt"...).

And then… I did what everyone does: finding nothing better to blast into my headphones, I continued to listen to the tracks on the new album, this "Delta Pi Delta". And I ended up realizing it wasn't that bad. Don't get me wrong: I know well that a song listened to several times in a row inevitably ends up being found "not so bad" even when, in reality, it's really crappy… However, well, a couple of little songs that are ultimately worth the listen can be highlighted. The intro "Sunlight," for example, has rather silly words but is saved by its majestic momentum that allows for a great start. There's also "Radio on" which can be enjoyed quite willingly when I take the bus to work. Especially noteworthy is "Ferrum" (my favorite track from the album): it's a completely instrumental piece (alias without the damn female voice and without trivial words) that allows me to reminisce a bit about the Mechanimal of old. Besides, the song ends on a beautiful guitar riff!

As for the rest of the album, you can safely press "skip" – you won't miss a thing. Let's see if Mechanimal will return to being more "dark" with the next album...

And for those who have never heard of these Mechanimal, head straight to the "Tube" and listen to "We Come Alive."