Released: 2002
I knew very little about No Return when I first heard this album, and I still know very little about them. I know they are from Paris and have been around almost 20 years. Apparently they change their sound a bit with every release. That's about the limit of my knowledge, but from what I know I would say they’re an undiscovered treasure.
Machinery is a mixture of modern thrash and death metal and indsutrial metal like Fear Factory. Many bands were trying this around the same period this came out and failed to make it work, but with five previous and virtually unknown releases behind them, No Return had plenty of practice, all of which they poured into this release. This album hits like a freight train, a heavy and high speed collision of catchy melodies, savage, crunchy riffs and tight playing, resulting in a fast-paced, heavy and furious metal that with its inherently hook-laden songs holds a commercial edge without losing any of its power.
No Return’s sound recalls many schools of metal but rather than choosing one and running with it, this band mixes them all, and if you’ve ever wondered what that would sound like when done properly then Machinery is what you’ve been looking for. They use keyboards and samples too, but only to provide a little space and variation without overwhelming all the great metal aspects. This was by all accounts the first time they had added this element and it works rather well. I have no idea how their other albums compare, because they are all on small French label so finding them wouldn't be easy. I did enjoy this however so I am a bit curious as to what some of them might be like.
Machinery is a hidden gem that should have won more attention.
- Machinery
- The Recycler
- Violator
- Synthetic
- Disillusion
- Virus
- Resurrection
- Disease
- Dynamo
- The Last Act
- Biomechanoid
- Secret Face
Rating: 70%
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