Thorp Records is an interesting, with its roster including stalwarts like Madball and newer, promising bands like Forever is Forgotten. Also included on that roster is Emmanuel 7. Emmanuel 7 is another metalcore band. Although there are some flashes of creativity here and there, the most remarkable part about this album is how unremarkable it is. Don't get me wrong, this isn't bad, but it's not good either, it's just kind of there.

With a listen to "Machines In Routine" it becomes readily apparent that the band is making and attempt to do big things. However, they can't seem to bring their diverse influences together, and unfortunately, because of this some of the songs don't seem to go anywhere. The first few tracks maintain a sort of mechanical vibe, which I'm going to guess is a testament to the albums title. Later on bits of bands like Burnt by the Sun and Coalesce can be heard, but this band doesn't seem to be able to build on the stronger points of the songs. The musicianship certainly can't be faulted, as everyone in the band is extremely proficient with their weapon of choice, but these songs just don't hold my interest.

This is another band that may simply need to find its own voice before it breaks out of the chains of this somewhat stagnant genre. It's not hard to imagine something exciting coming out of this band somewhere down the road, but only time will tell if they have it in them. The talent and the intentions are certainly here, but the vision to craft a grounbreaking album isn't something you can take lessons for or even something that's tangible. Regardless, I look forward to hearing more from this band in the future, as they have all the tools necessary to at least make their mark.

Postcard MP3