Machine (Static-X album)

Machine
Studio album by Static-X
Released May 22, 2001
Recorded October 2000 - January 2001
Genre Industrial metal, nu metal
Length 42:55
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Ulrich Wild, Wayne Static
Static-X chronology

Wisconsin Death Trip
(1999)		 Machine
(2001)		 Shadow Zone
(2003)
Singles from Machine
  1. "Black and White"
    Released: 2001
  2. "This Is Not"
    Released: 2001
  3. "Cold"
    Released: April 29, 2002[1]

Machine is the second studio album from the American industrial metal band Static-X, released on May 22, 2001 and recorded at Studio 508 (Los Angeles, California). When compared to the band's other albums, Machine features more electronics and industrial effects, and more screamed vocals from Wayne Static.

Album information

The song "Black and White" provided the album's first single and music video, and later a second single would be found in "This Is Not". The song "Cold" also had a video made for it, and tied in with the film Queen of the Damned. It was featured on the aforementioned film's soundtrack album, as was the exclusive "Not Meant for Me", performed by Wayne Static. The song "Anything but This", a bonus track from the Japanese version, is also found on the Resident Evil soundtrack.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [2]
Blabbermouth.net 6/10[3]
CDNow
Drowned in Sound 8/10[4]
Exclaim! mixed[5]
NME 7/10[6]
PopMatters mixed[7]
Rolling Stone [8]
Spin 6/10[9]
Sputnikmusic 2.5/5[10]

Critical reaction to the album was mixed, the most positive reviews came from Rolling stone NME and Drowned in Sound. Terry Bezer of Drowning Sound in his review stated, "It is impossible to put into words just how much Static X have progressed since their last effort. True enough, it’s not the most original of sounds (think Ministry crossed with Slipknot) but it does have all the enthusiasm of a bull charging for El Matador’s red cloth and twice the power." Fan reaction was mostly positive as well. Despite the mixed reviews, Machine sold around 500,000 copies in the USA, making it the band's second most successful album (after Wisconsin Death Trip). It is often regarded as the band's heaviest studio album.

Production

In the unreleased Static-X DVD Where the Hell Are We and What Day Is It... This Is Static-X, it was commented that the songs for this album would have guitar solos; however, this was not the case.

The opening sample of the track "A Dios Alma Perdida", a synthetic arrangement with a filtered voice speaking in what sounds at times like English (notably closing with an eerie "It's me!"), is from the 1978 film Laserblast. This sample is an abbreviated version of a conversation between the aliens in that movie.

Comic book

A comic book series was created by Chaos! Comics entitled "Static-X Machine." Only one volume was printed as Chaos! declared bankruptcy shortly after its release. The comic was packaged with a CD containing one track, "This Is Not (Live)," as well as multimedia content featuring back stage interviews with the band and a live music video of "This Is Not" from the 2002 Machine tour.

Track listing

All versions
No. Title Length
1. "Bien Venidos"   0:21
2. "Get to the Gone"   2:49
3. "Permanence"   4:01
4. "Black and White"   3:50
5. "This Is Not"   2:57
6. "Otsego Undead"   3:29
7. "Cold"   3:40
8. "Structural Defect"   3:39
9. "...In a Bag"   4:21
10. "Burn to Burn"   4:17
11. "Machine"   3:27
12. "A Dios Alma Perdida"   5:58
Total length:
 42:55
Japanese bonus tracks
No. Title Length
13. "Anything but This"   4:03
14. "Sweat of the Bud" (Live) 3:24

Chart positions

Album
Chart (2001) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[11] 56
The Billboard 200[12] 11
Singles
Year Song Chart Peak
position
2001 "Black and White" UK Singles Chart[11] 65
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[13] 35
"This Is Not" 36
2002 "Cold" 29

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Static-X Cold (Single)". Spirit of Metal. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ Gallucci, Michael. "Machine - Static-X". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation.
  3. ↑ Kaye, Don (2001). "CD Reviews - Machine - Static-X". Blabbermouth.net.
  4. ↑ Bezer, Terry (2001-06-26). "Static-X - Machine". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 2013-08-31.
  5. ↑ Pratt, Greg (August 2001). "Static-X - Machine". Exclaim!. Retrieved 2013-08-31.
  6. ↑ Haider, Arwa (2001-06-12). "Album Reviews - Static-X : Machine". NME. Retrieved 2013-08-31.
  7. ↑ Tranquilla, Ryan. "Static-X: Machine". PopMatters. Retrieved 2013-08-31.
  8. ↑ Blashill, Pat (2001-05-14). "Static-X: Machine : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2007-11-08. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
  9. ↑ "Static-X - Machine CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 2013-08-31.
  10. ↑ Taylor, Jake C. (2005-12-06). "Static-X - Machine (album review)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 2013-08-31.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Chart Log UK (1994–2006) DJ S – The System Of Life". Zobbel.
  12. ↑ "Machine - Static-X". Billboard.
  13. ↑ "Cannibal > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation.