CD review STEEL PROPHET ‘The God Machine’

(8/10) US-based Steel Prophet are a regular bringer of metal since many years. The bands debut dates back to the year 1995 and since then the guys delivered eight new albums of which the newest one is entitled ‘The God Machine’.

Five years after having shipped the ‘Omniscient’ longplayer to record stores it’s ‘The God Machine’ that marks the return of the Californian metal quintet. The main driving force behind the band is founding member Steve Kachinsky Blakmoor, who, together with his long-time band mates John Tarascio, Vince Du Juan Dennis and Jon Paget, recorded a loud and powerful longplayer. These guys ensure a consistency and it’s frontman R.D. Liapakis that contributes with a great voice and some extra inspiration.

‘The God Machine’ is Steel Prophet’s first album for ROAR!. The longplayer comprises of ten new metal anthems and it’s the beginning that fascinates right away. Many longplayers these days start with an intro or at least a calmer beginning that builds up over time. Steel Prophet’s approach is different. The quintet throws the listener in at the deep end if you will. It’s a heavy riffing that starts the album. The title track clarifies right away that these five guys don’t go for any calmer sounds. It’s a Power Metal machine that starts its work with the title track and also the following ‘Crucify’ doesn’t change the pattern.

After such a high-speed starts it’s the Ozzy Osbourne-inspired ‘Dark Mask (Between Love and Hate)’ that comes with a moderate pace and it’s the Maiden-esque ‘Soulhunter’, which reflects another source of inspiration. None of these songs is a bad one and the same goes for the half-ballad ‘Buried and Broken’ that becomes an anthemic song in the second half.

To sum up: Steel Prophet has renewed their line-up and it’s some new/old guys that returned since 2015. It feels like this line-up constellation revitalized the five-piece band from California. The God Machine is a well-done Power Metal album with great hooks, screaming guitars and melodic vocal lines. ‘The God Machine’ – a metal assault Power Metal fans will like for sure.

(8/10)

Tracklist: