Label: http://www.auralmusic.com/
Release Date: November 29, 2004
Home Page: http://www.mechanicalpoet.net
When I first received MECHANICAL POETs debut CD, Woodland Prattlers, I took one look at the cartoonish cover art, rolled my eyes, and threw it aside. As it sat on my desk, collecting dust, I began to note a small buzz beginning to build about it on the net. This buzz, along with the bands affiliation with Code666, piqued my curiosity about what awaited me.
The promo sheet describes MECHANICAL POET as a mix of Tim Burton, Progressive Metal, Japanese cartoons and East-European Gothic atmospheres. Suffice it to say, thats not a description I would have ever arrived at. It was time to let the music do the talking:
1st Listen headphones, in bed I fell asleep half way through.
2nd Listen driving in the car... I struggle to get through it, wanting to throw on something I actually want to hear.
3rd Listen headphones, in bed the music is pretty cool, but Im just not digging the singers approach.
4th Listen sitting at my computer about to write my review and pan the CD. Hmmm I like this.
Russias MECHANICAL POET puts forth a truly intriguing blend of Progressive Metal. They start with a traditional Prog Metal approach, then blend in touches of orchestral sounds and trance electronics. By and large, this approach works, and works well. After the opening instrumental, Main Titles, the CD is off to the races with its heaviest track, Stormchild. As this song begins, I found myself taken aback by Tom Tokmakoffs superb drum style, as well as the excellent drum sound that was achieved on this recording. As vocalist Max Samosvat makes his first appearance, he conjures up memories of TAROT vocalist Marco Hietala. However, whereas Marcos approach tends to be one dimensional, Max has a certain playful quirkiness in his delivery that gives the vocals a sense of variety.
This is the part of the review where Im supposed to tell you what combination of bands make up MECHANICAL POETs sound. Forget it. Im not getting lured down that rabbit hole. While MECHANICAL POET doesnt reinvent the wheel, theyve certainly beaten the old wheel into a rather unique shape.
Woodland Prattlers is, as too many other CDs these days are, a concept album. Sadly, MECHANICAL POETs command of English isnt strong enough to convey the storyline in a coherent manner. Perhaps the 20-page supplement that comes with the retail version of the CD, will help clarify the story. Regardless, the lyrical short-comings do little to diminish the overall quality of the songs. MECHANICAL POETs greatest strength may be their ability to keep things varied, without ever drifting into anything indulgent or gratuitous. In this respect, they succeed where so many Prog Metal acts fail. While their songs take a number of interesting, and often unexpected turns, those turns are always taken to create a stronger song, rather than for flexing their musical chops.
All in all Woodland Prattlers is a truly enjoyable experience. As a listener, you just never know where these guys are headed. And once you grow comfortable with that fact, the ride is a great deal of fun.
Rating: 7/10
Reviewer: General Zod