Machina / the machines of God

There was some backlash against "Adore," with its more electronic sound, and so Billy Corgon and Co. went back to the hard rock sound of their past albums. You can hear the determination in the dark, explosive "The Everlasting Gaze," which opens the album on a very strong note. Things get a bit less heavy from there on in, but not much.

The Pumpkins were always good at epic songs, and that kicks in with the "Adore" soundalike "Raindrops + Sunshowers," which is a bit like taking mescaline in a haunted house. The album sags on a few heavier songs in the middle, before kicking back into high gear with the songs like bass-rocker "Imploding Voice" and the otherworldly "The Crying Tree Of Mercury."

Don't expect ballads on this album -- "Machina/The Machines of God" relies on fuzz bass and percussion, giving it a complete hard-rock sound. "With Every Light" is the closest thing it has to a ballad or pop song. As a result, "Machina" has a feeling of overhanging gloom'n'doom, especially when you hear Corgan's amguished songwriting. Atmosphere lies heavy on "Machina."

Not that this album is a complete success -- the metal/industrial sound gets dull in songs like "Heavy Metal Machine." Good luck finding an actual melody in that one -- it sounds like a B-side that was kept in. The problem here is that the Pumpkins were at their best when they did different kinds of songs on a given album; when they do only one kind, it sounds... restricted.

Jimmy Chamberlain returned to the band briefly, and his drumming shines through the murky music, as does the excellent basslines of Melissa Auf Der Maur (both have solo bands now), and Corgan's songwriting still carries emotional and verbal weight. He wasn't quite on peak form, but bad Billy Corgan is still pretty good.

The only problem is Corgan's vocals on the heavier songs. Much is said about his singing skills, but here it's hard to even tell. The Pumpkins frontman's voice can't always rise above the music -- Corgan sometimes sounds like he's drowning in his own bass.

The Smashing Pumpkins never made another record after "Machina/The Machines of God," which is a shame. While one of their weaker creations, it's still a moody, atmospheric and deeply saddening album.

It is the sort of album that you will either love or hate. The album is opened by the rather heavy "The Everlasting Gaze", which, although easy to appreciate, lacks something that long-time Smashing Pupmkins fans have come to expect. This is followed though by the Duran Duranish "Raindrops and Sunshowers" before the first single, "Stand Inside Your Love", which conclusively proves that the Pumpkins have still "got it". Just when you thought the album could get no better, this is followed by "I of the Mourning" which starts out slowly, but finishes in style with Jimmy Chamberlain proving that the band were firmly correct to re-enstate him.

After this promising start, the album fluctuates from the very good, to the quite good, before reaching the peak: track 13, "With Every Light", an atmospheric number which re-asserts the truth that the band has not deteriorated, but progressed; a certainty which may have waver within the listener since track 9: "The Imploding Voice".

On the whole, it is fair to say that the album has more ups ("Stand Inside your Love", "I of the Mourning", "This Time" and "With Every Light") than downs ("The Impolding Voice" and "Blue Skies Bring Tears"). It is proof that, although the pumpkins have moved on, they have still got what we all loved about Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinate Sadness.

In conclusion, I will refer back to my first point: Machina sings true what Billy Corgan said: the Smashing Pumpkins would never again produce music like that of the first three albums; now they have moved on. In the same way though, that is not to say that the music would deteriorate, and Machina proves that it did not.

Give the album a chance; it might not be what you expect, but it is still well more than one listen, and is a fitting farewell to such a great band.