Mark Lauer – Vocals/Guitar
Mike Halland – Guitar
Jeff Garten – Drums
Michael Brown – Bass
Harry McCaleb – Keyboards and Guitar
Website: www.crushed.net
Review: An interesting combination of Goth and Metal, newcomers Crushed are surprisingly Melodic in their approach to Thrash-worthy music, as evidenced in their excellent debut effort My Machine.
Celebrity producer Mike Clink serves a major boon to the band. Clink most notably produced Guns N’ Roses debut album, Appetite for Destruction, and also worked with legendary bands like Motley Crue, Megadeth, and UFO. The end result is a slickly produced, excellent album full of hits heavy enough for a die-hard Metal fan, but melodic enough to enjoy considerable commercial radio air play.
My Machine opens strong with “What Kind Of Life,” but really hits a groove with the track “Hovering.” Single-worthy, Crushed could ride the wave of stardom on the strength of “Hovering” alone. Clink uses his production knowledge to coax a unique vocal range out of lead singer Mark Lauer. During “Hovering,” Lauer transforms his voice from a whisper, to growl, to sultry accent. “Hovering” also features great guitar work and excellent songwriting.
Moving through the album, “Unbroken” has a Nu-Metal feel, featuring a soaring chorus and haunting bass line. Again, Lauer completely changes his voice proving his ability as a front man and musical chameleon. The upbeat, catchy “Crash Coping” may be the strongest track on My Machine. This is the kind of song suitable for mainstream Metal radio and performance at a neighborhood bar. The drum line is frenetic, yet quiet, and the double guitar work gives the song an ethereal quality.
My Machine seems to get heavier with each new track. “Leaving” features a syncopated rhythm and driving lyrics of love and loss. The short but poignant “A Game of You” features screaming vocals closer to Thrash than Melodic Metal. “March” features a sound similar to Korn or Godsmack, but with better writing. Fast-paced “Nocturnal” features heavy guitar work worthy of an arena classic. My Machine ends on a strong note with “Bell Hooks.” Here, Crushed again mix sounds to create their own genre of Metal music. Perhaps the only misplaced track on My Machine is the balladesque “Deeper.” Slammed against true rockers, a slower song seems to snag the momentum of the album.
