Tune into any modern rock radio station or watch an episode of Headbanger's Ball circa the early 21st century, and the number of hard rock/metal bands that mix aggression with melodic detours is staggering. But then along comes a band like
Crushed, who does indeed mine the aforementioned territory, but introduces true songcraft into the mix on their 2007 release,
My Machine. And voila, there's a band that stands out from all the foolers. Case in point, if you judge the album opening "What Kind of Life" just by its opening, it's understandable to lump
Crushed in with the rest of the aforementioned gang -- but stick with it, and several pleasant surprises are in store (namely, the chorus and how the song ends). Also included is "Dwell," which starts off with some Tool-esque bass strumming before turning into alt pop, and "Ether," which includes some fine vocalizing by frontman Mark Lauer, while a track like "Leaving" could easily cross over to the mainstream masses. The group has also hooked up with a producer who needs no introduction -- Mr. Mike Clink (yep, the
Appetite for Destruction Mike Clink) -- who has no problem navigating through the varied sonic waters of
My Machine. The end result is a strong album that is not copycat, yet also is not far removed from the mainstream. ~ Greg Prato