Machinegun Symphony- The Technology of Tears

Artist: Machinegun Symphony
CD Title: The Technology of Tears
Label: Static Sky Records
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 3/5/06

Rick Joyce of the Last Dance assisted in the recording and production of this album, and it shows. Although Machinegun Symphony’s sound is much more electronic than the Last Dance’s modern gothic rock sound, there’s a similar aesthetic at work here, with pop-tinged keyboards, dramatic guitars and soaring emotional vocals. A few of the tracks, especially near the beginning of the album, cross over into industrial, like the catchy coldwave of “Victim” and the ragged but catchy “Cold,” which is a bit reminiscent of Imperative Reaction’s more recent material. Mostly, though, it’s clean contemporary goth with an emphasis on rich synthesizers and sing-along choruses. “Untrue” is a little like early Bella Morte, with a moody slow introduction that builds into fist-pumping bombast, while “Sever” layers melancholy guitar chords over glitch-infused rhythm patterns. “Halo” seems to reflect the Rick Joyce influence with heavenly but danceable keyboards and a lot of references to angels in the lyrics, and “Mirrors” is a perfect fit for the clubs with its dark vocals and driving beats. While singer Mark Sousa’s vocals might be a bit on the melodramatic side for fans of harder-edged stuff, it’s safe to say that fans of synthpop crossovers like Apoptygma Berzerk and other modern goth bands like the Last Dance, Bella Morte and the Birthday Massacre will enjoy this a great deal. Machinegun Symphony are already in the studio working on a follow-up, so check this out now before the new one’s finished.

Visit www.machinegunsymphony.com for more information.