"Naturalis is a consistently impressive endeavor not because Maschine reinvents any wheels, but because the quintet utilizes what makes it special to its fullest advantage"
5/5 - Reviewed by Jordan Blum
Naturalis is a consistently impressive endeavor not because Maschine reinvents any wheels, but because the quintet utilizes what makes it special to its fullest advantage.
Aptly describing itself as “a progressive band without boundaries . . . [that] seamlessly fuses their rock roots with modern and innovative textures,” UK quintet Maschine was founded in 2008 by singer/guitarist Luke Machin and cites iconic groups like Dream Theater, Opeth, and Pain of Salvation as influences. Deservedly, the band is also signed to InsideOut Music, one of the leading labels in the field, with whom it issued its highly impressive debut, 2013’s Rubidium. Now, the fivesome returns with Naturalis, an incredibly animated, enchanting, and moving sophomore sequence that’s far more distinguishing, motivated, and worthwhile than one might expect from an up-and-coming progressive rock/metal act. In fact, the LP surpasses many of the most recent efforts from far more seasoned acts in terms of songwriting, originality, and compositional intrigue.