The Cut-Out Bin: Damn The Machine

Damn The Machine was a collaboration between ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland, his brother Mark on drums, and two guys named Dave--singer Dave Clemmons and bassist Dave Randi. This tight four-piece released one self-titled album in 1993, and promptly broke up, faced by:

• zero label support
  
• the rising tide of alterna-grunge
  
• being repeatedly confused with Rage Against The Machine.

Memorable cuts on this debut include the anthemic The Mission, the knotty Lonesome God and On With the Dream. Although not a concept album per se, the lyric feature a strong anti-authoritarian, pro-environment stance, with lashings of Ayn Rand and Aldous Huxley. DTM played a unique brand of jazzy melodic metal with a strong political conscience in the lyrics--think Rush crossed with King Crimson.

This was clearly Chris Poland's band, and the twelve cuts on their debut made plenty of room for Poland's angular, slashing guitar. He was the real star of the band. Dave Clemmons had a pretty decent tenor. (His current band, The Fullbliss is based in Berlin.) Finally, DTM had a tight rhythm section that was committed to serving the songs, not showing off.

They kicked ass live--I saw DTM open for Dream Theater at the Manhattan Center in 1993. Too bad there was never a follow-up. But there are copies of the debut on eBay, ranging from $10 to $45 a disc. As the album is out of print and the label (A&M) long defunct, this is a hard one to find but worth grabbing if you can get it.

A last note: the cigarette butts album cover was designed by Hugh Syme, who has done most of Rush's album covers and the last three for Dream Theater.

On with the dream....

The Cut-Out Bin: Metal Church--The Human Factor

Seattle's Metal Church have battled music industry trends and a revolving-door lineup (including four lead singers) over the course of a long and uneven career. My introduction to the band was their excellent 1991 album The Human Factor.

This album featured L.A.-based howler Mike Howe, making his second appearance at the mic after the band's excellent Blessing in Disguise.. (He's the one with no shirt.) Although this incarnation of the band did not feature founder and guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, he co-wrote the songs with Howe. Axe duties were ably handled by Craig Wells and John Marshall. Yes, the same John Marshall who served as James Hetfield's guitar tech and served a temporary onstage guitarist when the Metallica singer was injured in a freak pyro accident in 1992.

The songs are solid groove metal with an angry social conscience. "Blue collar metal" would be an apt description for these songs about credit card debt, (Date With Poverty) flag burning (The Final Word) and even child abuse (In Harm's Way.) These are thought-provoking songs, filled with complex textures and the odd surprise, like Duke Erickson's funk-bass solo in the middle of "Date."

Oh and by the way Metal Church fans, the band is still around! They released the excellent 2008 album This Present Wasteland, and arranged for the re-release of their back catalogue, including The Human Factor. Check out the band's official site, Metal Church Music.

The Cut-Out Bin: Galactic Cowboys

Thanks to the resources of Swap A CD I just got myself a new original-graphic copy of the debut CD by that great lost Texan band--the Galactic Cowboys! Now, the Cowboys never really hit it big, but lovers of thrashy prog-metal should nap themselves up a copy of their first record. From the opening cow moo (!) of "I'm Not Amused", the Cowboys declare their surreal purpose. Mexican-style acoustic strumming gives way to full-on power metal, until the chorus lunges into four-part Beatles-style barbershop harmony.

The seven-minute opener gives way to the gentle groove of "My School", the pro-environmental krunch of "Kaptain Krude" and the anthemic "Someone For Everyone". The second side, (think early King's X, but more earnest!) is a strange five-song suite culminating in the very spiritual "Speak To Me" complete with somewhat unnecessary clarinet solo and those heavenly harmonies taking the listener into orbit.

Unfortunately, this lineup of the Cowboys only recorded two albums together before getting dropped by DGC and losing guitarist Dane Sonnier. The second, Space in Your Face is damned difficult to find--and I'm not even sure if it's been reissued on CD. But if I find a copy, I'll be happy to write about it here!