Album review: THE BANISHMENT – Machine And Bone

Frontiers [Release date 10.03.23]

From Dokken and Lynch Mob to End Machine, KXM and more, George Lynch has been on quite some rock’n’roll journey.

And is still.

He and his new world bandmates, Producer/Mixer/Writer, Joe Haze and vocalist, Devix AKA dive deep into the bleak, mechanical soundscapes of Industrial Metal, (the band call themselves The Banishment, and their music, “Dream Punk” and who are we to argue) and emerge with a bunch of undeniably colourful tracks, each quaking with pneumatically powered riffs and armour plated electronica.

All these songs were conceived during the pandemic when introspection was the dominant mood. Initially planned as instrumentals, it was only when Devix got on board and added lyrics that they turned into as near “proper songs” as we’re going to get.

They are joined by a select trio of big names in the genre.

You can’t really go wrong with some high intensity Richard (Filter) Patrick: ‘Max Pain’ is everything that the title and the artist together might suggest.

There’s a surprisingly great hard rock song from Tommy (Prong) Victor. Surprising in that the song, ‘Right’, has a recognisable hook and conventional rock song shape. Victor also contributes ‘Terror’, an object lesson in hi speed sensory overload. Dark and sinister, hardbodied and combative, it fits the album like a chainmail glove.

The gnarly, southern rock drawls of third guest, Jason Charles Miller, guitarist, vocalist and frontman of industrial rock specialists, Godhead, changes the album’s gearing up onto a more mainstream rock plane, but it’s all relative.

These tracks are inclined to cast a giant shadow over the rest of the album, but where it’s all glued together by Lynch’s guitar groove, a solid mix of power and aggression, then strong band tracks – the Kingdom Come lookalike ‘Reaction’ and the bubbling electronica of ‘Lost Horizon’ – complex and thematic, rise quickly to the surface.

An arguably unorthodox move by the label, but the album sees Lynch move into increasingly familiar territory. ***1/2

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)