For those of you that are familiar with Sweden's THE AWESOME MACHINE, there is no need to tell you how impressive these modern-day groove rock icons are. With the release of their third album, they have taken giant strides, carrying them far ahead of other bands in the genre. For those of you that don't know them - where the hell have you been? This thing is huge, in a big way. "The Soul of a Thousand Years" is going to be one of those records that people will use as a measuring stick for years to come. Their first two releases showcased a kind of progressive stoner rock--plenty of hard, psych-driven, guitar riffage, weaving complex rhythms over stoner groove, with Lasse's vocals going from low growl to all-out screaming. When I received the new disc, I expected more of the same level of excellence from the boys--but I never expected the band to take the next step which has eluded so many others.

They have expanded their sound without sacrificing a thing. This record takes you on a journey, from the first note; heavy guitar driven rock that reminds me of a stoner-driven SOUNDGARDEN, with KYUSS overtones, enhanced with the power grooves of BLIND DOG. Christian milks the coolest sounds out of his six-string, so that every song takes on a new persona. Case in point, "Scars", the music moves from cello and flute to a full-throttle rock groove that, if it had fingers, would reach down your throat and rip out your spine. "Ghost of Patroklos" contains samples/keys/effects that create a sci-fi fantasy movie sound. My fave track, "Black Hearted Son", sports a bass line that could vibrate scores of windows, simple riffage, dominating vocals, and a great slide guitar solo from Christian. This CD is worth a pickup, as are their two other releases. Look for greater things from this band for years to come. I think you can describe their music in two words: "Clever heaviness". Later Machine heads!

- Murtaugh

OFFICIAL SITE: www.awesomemachine.com

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