MACHINE MEN - SCARS & WOUNDS - DYNAMIC ARTS
Well, well what do you know? Here comes another Finnish band this month which doesn't follow the goth rock trend - although the guys look like they could be the same old Finnish crap! In fact, Machine Men is a very good Finnish heavy metal band that is influenced by Iron Maiden. The band's singer, bass sound and songs all point to Maiden, although Machine Men's compositions are so good that it ends up not really mattering that much. As the album begins the vocals remind the listener of Jacob's Dream. The song Silver Dreams is a copy of Iron Maiden's Wicker Man, while Man In Chains is closer to the Piece Of Mind era. Betrayed By Angels features a guitar solo a la Marty Friedman in Megadeth and the band deems it necessary to feature a hidden track. Having said all that, Scars & Wounds is a persuasive album with a good sound, good songs and formidable vocals.- Ali "The Metallian"