www.needleinthegroove.co.uk: The End Machine

Wednesday 20 March 2019

The End Machine - 'ST' Album Review

The End Machine

Between 1986 and 1990 I would like to think that I was Dokken’s biggest fan in Rhostyllen. Big words, eh? Fuck that, I was Dokken’s biggest fan in Wrexham, and I still am. That said, I don’t like Dons voice anymore, because its fucked. However, I still love that golden period from 83-89 where they were metal Gods!

In about 1987 I ditched my weekly fix of ‘Roy Of The Rovers’ and ‘Scoop’ and got my dad to subscribe (at a Wrexham newsagents) to ‘Hit Parader’, in the main hope of getting more of my Dokken fix that ‘Kerrang!’ and ‘Sounds’ could no longer feed. It was an expensive mag, and it was shite in comparison, but it felt cool to say I got a copy. Basically HP was like reading the transcript to Kramer vs Kramer. Don and George hated each other so much, I felt like the kid in the middle. Its continued on and off (mostly off) to this very day.

I’ve followed all the guys exploits since, from Lynch Mob, to T&N, the corporate version of Foreigner, KXM, Sweet & Lynch and Ultraphonix to name but a few of the Dokken Family Tree Branches. When news appeared about The End Machine, I have to admit that I let out a little wee. Lynch, Pilson and Brown were coming out with a new album that would feature the excellent pipes of (Ex-Lynch Mob, and current Warrant vocalist, Robert Mason) What is not to like? Well, thankfully nothing. But its not close to an album like ‘Under Lock And Key’ (not mush is though to be honest with ya!

Thanks to Frontiers Don, Serafino Perugino, bands like this would not exist in 2019 if it were not down to love and enthusiasm for 80s AOR and Hair Metal. He has revived more 80s careers than Stormy Daniels has revived flaccid cocks! Not that that has happened here. Far from it.

‘Leap Of Faith is more Lynch-ken than Dok-Mob. Its ‘Dysfuctional’ era Dokken only with Lynch Mob playing all the song. Mason sounds pretty great to be honest and gives the song an added lift. ‘Hold Me Down’ has all the hallmark of any of these guys previous, crunching riffs, Pilson and Brown harmonies and Lynch letting rip like only Lynch can. ‘No Game’ is classic 80-s metal, and I can see the video, recorded in the middle of a desert with helicopters and lost of posturing! ‘Bulletproof’ has anthem written all over it and Lynch’s guitar work takes me back 30-plus years! ‘Ride It’ and ‘Hard Road’ are standard fare really, but the stripped back cowboy sound of ‘Burn The Truth’ is more on the mark. ‘Alive Today’ is back on point and had a cool riff, and above average chorus, and a thunderous Pilson bass groove, making it one the best so far. ‘Line Of Division’ could easily draw comparisons to the first Lynch Mob album. ‘Sleeping Voices’ chorus is powerful and with everything thrown into it. Its both the longest and best song on the album by far as it builds to a crescendo. ‘Life Is Love Is Music’ keeps the album on a strong finish.

If it’s a replacement Dokken album you’re looking for, it’s clearly not that, although many comparisons will be drawn across the world. Mason has a great voice still, and Lynch has lost none of his ability (he is my second fave guitarist only to Ritchie Blackmore). The harmonies are what I expect from this talented bunch. Put it this way, its way better than any Dokken album you have heard in the past few years, and what’s to come. It stands clearly on its own, which I suspect its exactly what they wanted.

8/10

The End Machine –

Robert Mason – Vocals

Jeff Pilson – Bass

George Lynch – Guitar

Mick Brown – Drums

Released March 22^nd 2019

Tracklisting

Leap Of Faith

Hold Me Down

No Game

Bulletproof

Ride It

Burn The Truth

Hard Road

Alive Today

Line Of Division

Sleeping Voices

Life Is Love Is Music

Highlighted tracks

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ABOUT ME

I was brought up on my dad's record collection of rock 'n' roll greats. He was a Teddy Boy and had all the gear (and hair) - drain pipe trousers, jacket, crepe shoes. We listened to Elvis, Bill Hailey, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Fats Domino, Tommy Steel, and the big names from the sixties such as Dave Clark Five, Wayne Fontana, Dave Dee (etc.,). This music was the kind that you would listen to to rebel against and annoy your parents; it was rough, wild, and the Ted's had a reputation.

So, fast forward to the end of the 70's. I was about 12 when it was the thing to choose your musical stance. It had to be a good choice as there was no going back. You had to be a mod, or a rocker back around 1980. I had a mate (still do, just the one mind) and he was an influence with regards to my musical tastes (and we still go gigging together to this day), and what with my dad's influence I chose the rocker route. I've never looked back. We (me and dad) both started a musical journey where our parents hated what we listened to! In fact, being a teenager in the mid 50s, it wasn't any different to being a teenager in the late 70's/early 80's with regards to rebellion. Although in my era, you couldnt get rickets.

I was fed strictly on a cassette diet of Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Rush and Rainbow. From there it expanded into melodic rock and hair metal - Journey, Foreigner, Stryper, Ratt, Motley Crue, and Dokken. And Prog!

I absorbed all I could. I was a human sponge. The internet was eons away, so I got my fix via a wonderful weekly paper called 'Sounds.' It covered a lot of genres, but they specialised in Rock! I read it every week without fail for about three years. I loved the way their reporters wrote articles. It was like they were talking directly to me. It's how I try to do the same today. When it stopped, I moved with the crowd and subscribed to 'Kerrang!' A lot of the 'Sounds' crew moved across, and it felt like home. I wanted to know more about what was happening over in the U.S. So I subscribed to 'Hit Parader' - it was shite really, the articles weren't great, but the pictures were good. Plus I could follow the Dokken feud between Don and George. Thirty odd years later, they still hate each other! Today, its a diet of 'Classic Rock' Mag, sometimes 'Prog Mag', 'Fireworks' and 'Planet Rock' mag.

My enjoyment of this music has never waned. I see the same people time and again and its a great community. I try to get to as many gigs as I can still as its much better than sitting on your arse reviewing. I hope you enjoy the blog!

Paul Chesworth