Album review: SCREAMACHINE – Screamachine

Frontiers [Release date 09.03.21]

Screamachine comprises five experienced metallers, all of whom deserve a mention, but most notably, vocalist Valerio Caricchio and guitarists, Alex Mele and Paulo Campitelli, all of whom are veterans of the Italian/European Heavy Metal scene.

The label makes a big (marketing) play of the guests on the album, and yes, there are some outstanding musicians contributing their skills, like guitarists, Simone (DGM) Mularoni and Andrea (Stormlord) Angelini. But the incumbents do a pretty impressive job on their own.

It’s hard to cook up something original and sustaining within the narrow parameters of traditional metal. So Scream Machine do what others have done successfully before them. They drill down into the DNA of the genre, emerging with their own powerful variants, cut with the occasional fresh perspective.

That said, ‘Metal Monster’ and ‘Silver Fever’ have no need of contemporary chemistry. The band are happy to weaponise the spring loaded, twin guitar assault of influential metal bands like Accept and Iron Maiden here. Both are delivered with macho, foot-on-the-monitor vocals and spiralling axe solos. A couple of decent tunes in there too.

Elsewhere, in places, the music has definite Teutonic Metal undertones. ‘Human God’ and ‘Dark Steel’ are stomping, stadium filling, headbanging anthems, both very precise, conforming to international expectations of ever faster, tighter and heavier metal music.

First of the two album standouts is ‘Wisdom Of The Ages’. Guest musician, Herbie (Firewind) Langhans delivers his vocals in a familiar, emotionally overwrought style. And yet you can’t help but lay down the red carpet as it creeps into your head.

The other is the aggressively melodic and aggressively infectious title track ‘Screamachine’. By absorbing the sound of classical composer (and fellow Italian), Gioachinno Rossini’s galloping overtures, they’ve made a welcome step over the line into classically inclined metal. Maybe this one signposts the way ahead for Scream Machine. ***

review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)