Review Summary: If you are a metalcore fan this is a must listen. Especially if you like Zao, and Botch.
Earth Crisis, a band who pioneered metalcore. To this day they still are a great band, but never truly got the fame they deserved. Destroy the Machines is one of the first Metalcore LP's, and one of the best. It even sounds different from their other releases. This is back when there was no over using of chugging riffs/breakdowns in metalcore. Back when metalcore was creative and the bands weren't coping off one another. It almost has a Pantera feel to it, and many have said the same thing.
The guitars are great on this record. From hardcore to almost melodic and almost noisy riffing it brings a lot of diversity. There are no breakdowns on this record, some riffs maybe chug a little but they are usually not alone with some other riff playing over it. The guitars sound like punk meets metal.(Metalcore) Something that was pretty new in 1995. In "The Wrath Of Sanity" starts with a chug like riff that sounds like Megadeths "Kill the King", really catchy. Or my personal favorite Earth Crisis song "Deliverance" starts with a groovy chord riff then progresses into a single note riffing playing over the intro riff, which then the two riffs combine together. It just proves how much they really experimented with the riffs, and the song structure. Most of the riffs have a groove/hardcore punk feel to it, and usually are very hooky. Which at this time in 1995 was new. No one else had done what this record has done. The drums as well also bring what they need to. They don't go overboard, they do what is purely needed to make the song better. They aren't the best but there not in any way bad.
The vocals and lyrics are also just as good as the rest of the record. Which is another thing good about the record, every thing sounds inspired, and like they truly care about what they are singing and playing. Karl Buechner does his best on this record. His hardcore dry scream really punches you in the face. Most of the lyrics carry straight edge and vegan messages. While i am not a vegan why would i be offended by lyrics which talk about stopping how baldy animals are treated in this world, and with the straight edge lyrics i would say the same thing. But the vocals don't bring much diversity, but with the style he screams is no problem, but some might get bored of his vocals. Even though the record is only 34 minutes long.
The production is another thing that makes this record even better. Its raw like a punk record, and heavy as a metal record. The bass is perfect and you can actually hear it clearly! The hardcore thick distortion is perfect on the guitars and sounds so natural. Some would say the drums may be a little low and sort of get lost in the mix but it isn't that bad but that could just be me. The vocals are raw and are not in any way fake or over produced, giving this record an even more natural feel to it.
If you are a metalcore fan this is a must listen. Especially if you like Zao, and Botch. Or if you want to found out where it kind of started. It helped pioneer the genre and with out it metalcore would maybe not even exist. This record deserves so much more fame.
