GHOST OF THE MACHINE

A new band in name only, GHOST OF THE MACHINE features the exiled members of the band This Winter Machine that sort of imploded after the "A Tower Of Clocks" album in 2019 leaving only lead vocalist Al Winter remaining who reformed the band and carried on. The members Graham Garbett (guitar, vocals), Mark Numan [ aka Mark Hagan] (piano, keyboards), Stuart McAuley (bass), Andy Milner (drums), and Scott Owens (guitar) decided to carry on without Winter leading me to believe that Winter owned the rights to the former band and perhaps wasn't an easy person to work with. Whatever the case this new incarnation of THE MACHINE released its debut SCISSORGAMES in 2022 and no it's not a rock opera about barbershops!

Basically the members of the old traded in Winter for vocalist / flautist Charlie Bramald who had only really engaged as a single with the pub band Harmony Spheres so for this talented singer who sounds a bit like IQ's Peter Nicholls, this is a debut album indeed and what a nice one it is. This album delivers a total of seven tracks that add up to 62 1/2 minutes and in many ways is a neo-prog album by the books with the classic swarming of airy guitar licks, powerful keyboard driven atmospheres and a heavier rock heft that many neo-prog bands have been adopting over the last couple of decades. The addition of the flute however gives this album a bit of a folk flavor and Moogs and mellotrons add a bit of retro flavor.

Beginning with the 17-minute plus "Scissors," GHOST OF THE MACHINE cuts to the chase by unleashing its most epic prog composition. The band immediately distinguishes itself as a unique entity in the neo-prog universe with an idiosyncratic fusion of stellar keyboard riffs, jangly guitar parts and an above competent vocal prowess of Bramald. The use of Pink Floydian space rock moments punctuate the lengthy journey as well as the folkiness of Mostly Autumn as well as the myriad neo-prog influences ranging from Fish-era Marillion to Arena, IQ, Pendragon, prog era Genesis and others. The heavier parts have been compared to Rush, Riverside and others.

Like all neo-prog bands GHOST OF THE MACHINE nurtures the strong melodic hooks that sing in deep and keep you fastened like a seatbelt for the hour plus journey. The band effortlessly stitches together the myriad musical motifs that alternate between space rock dreaminess to angsty guitar distortion led energetic outbursts. The album may recount some sort of concept based theme but i'm failing to discover what it could possibly be. On the band's Bandcamp page the album is described as exploring the tangled lines between love and abuse, an abstract but tangible theme i suppose.

For anyone looking for the next development in the neo-prog world, you won't find it with SCISSORGAMES. This is a classic sounding neo-prog album in the vein of IQ, and if you only listen superficially you might even think it was IQ! A more attentive listening experience will reveal differences though albeit more on the covert level. This is one of those albums that is excellent simply for its impeccable performances despite not registering high on the originality meter. One of the most pleasing aspects about this album is the production actually. Every sound is sparkling like a polished diamond with every tone and timbre fitted into its proper place in the greater order of things. While i wouldn't call this an all time classic by any means, it is a strong and competent debut album that excels on the quality level of the performances.

British prog band This Winter Machine has had a revolving line-up throughout their albums and "the Tower of Clocks" crew left the phone booth 'en masse', leaving Al Wynter to revamp his robots. The pause did not last long as the instrumentalists added singer Charlie Bramald and morphed into another musical 'machine' adding a clever spectral element to their name that is open to interpretative imagination but by all accounts, it was a gentle mutual decision. The new band had seemingly a lot of material, as this sparkling debut has over an hour of music that contains no filler! Charlie was familiar to me via his stellar work with Nova Cascade, a current pet favourite of PROG ROGUE and this union of like- minded artists seemed to have their stuff together. "Scissorgames" comes across as a refreshing take on both virtuosity and accessibility, neatly combining to enchant the finnecky prog fan looking for some aural deliverance. The initial response from the global prog community has been ear-opening, to say the least. My esteemed colleague Lazland has given this top debut top marks as well as an interesting interview (see www.lazland.org). The stunning cover art is often a clue at how detail-oriented a prog artist's music may be, and that initial hint comes across with great gusto.

Immediately impressive decision to kick off a debut album with a mammoth epic 17 minute + track, just to set the story straight from the get-go with "Scissors". Guitarist Scott Owens ('Sixstrings' to his friends) powers into the synthesizer lead played by Mark Hagan with fellow axeman Graham Garbett in tow, a dual guitar attack that will be one of the many hallmarks of this group. Charlie Bramald has an expressive voice , forcefully navigating the power crests as well as the pastoral whispers that characterize this stunning opener, taking into account that there will be a 10 minute + reprise to close out the album. There is a simply marvellous instrumental mid-section that is all restrained melodic beauty of the finest pedigree, before the whirling synth and dual guitars kick the arrangement back into a pulsating overdrive, coordinated by bassist Stuart MacAuley and drumster Andy Milner to energetic heights. The passionate voice expresses a touching yearning that hits the heart strings with intensity. The upward vortex adds backing vocals that bring this revealing piece to the loftiest elevations. An ornate piano flurry and a grand bombastic ensemble finale only sets the stage for the eventual finale that will put this album to rest. The menu remains punchy with the raucous "Mountain", surely a perfect live number as the tune is a bulldozer gone berserk, crunchy rhythmic pounding that only relents briefly with a smoother piano-led mid-section letting Charlie "find my way back home", and quickly rejoining the exhilarating climb with a vigorous axe solo, the riffs solidly backing up the mood.Change of pace with a sultry affair, "Just for Reference" tingles the senses with jangly guitar phrasings (hints of Jamie West-Oram from the Fixx) and that majestic piano, setting the stage for the solemn lead vocal that wanders magically from sigh to roar, always in control. The fluid lead guitar only adds more charming delicacy to the whole, the track ending on that wonderful clanging melody. Acting almost like a companion piece in terms of stylistics, "January's Child" is a more upbeat piece with a romping bass line and punishing drum propulsion, the onus is on accessibility and their progressive creativity comes from unexpected lulls in the maelstrom , generally a piano and voice duet does the trick with a impassioned repeated lyric and the subsequent revert to expected bombast. With a title like "Mercury Rising Parts 1 & 2", one kind of anticipates a proggy affair and the band happily obliges. Mood and atmosphere are always excellent barometers and this is always my preferred option, as contrasts, twists and surges need some form of sonic counterbalance, refining the obvious and exploring a wider palette. Yes, this gets hustling and bustling but there is more than enough substance and certainly a great vocalist always helps, as Charlie navigates emotion like a silky kimono. The instrumental prowess on guitars and keys fits the jester's script flawlessly, as this track sounds the most like classic IQ/Marillion, a tear shed to nostalgia is never a bad thing.

Maintaining that early 1980s vibe , "Dead to Me" keeps the foot on the pedal. Mark Hagen's habitual use of piano is a crucial element here , as well as throughout this debut, as it adds a pleasing coloration to the occasionally rampaging onslaught. This is a moody, smoky, and vaporous ballad with a lavish vocal, combining with a slithering lead guitar foray that oozes pain a la Rothery, perhaps my favourite piece here, as the mood is quite fascinating. The "Scissors Reprise" closes out this fine first volley with the same high quality progressive sheen, as I really admire musicians who feel the need to take their time in developing their musical ideas and as such, I find myself enjoying the 'unexpected' tracks more than the 'expected' ones, having heard perhaps way too much of the latter for the past half century! Regardless, this band has a plethora of first-rate attributes that clearly point towards a potentially majestic future career, with talented instrumentalists and a damn fine singer. I hope they stay together as a unit and develop even further. 4.5 Phantom Mechanics