[dropcap]M[/dropcap]achinae Supremacy is a SID-Metal band that started in Sweden in 2000. Since it’s formation by Robert Stjärnström they have released five studio albums and three webography albums that could be downloaded for free on their website. When they hit 20,000 likes on Facebook to celebrate the release of their first studio album Deus Ex Machinae, it became available for free download.
You can find it plus the other free webography albums still on their website today. They’ve worked on several soundtracks for games such as the remake of Giana Sisters: Twisted Dream, Jets’N’Guns, as well as supplying their talents for the main theme for Bionic Commando Rearmed.
The band has always been very open about file sharing and torrenting online, in a live performance even hearing Robert Stjärnström say we wants you to download their music.
Since their beginnings, they’ve always been giving away music at high quality. The first time I ever heard of or used FLAC was because of Machinae Supremacy. If you don’t know what FLAC is, it’s basically almost studio quality audio and are usually very large files per song. 24mb for short songs 64mb for long songs.
Not only has the internet helped the band get underground famous, it’s helped boost them to the status they have today. Video games, anime, and science fiction also factor into the inspirations behind their music. Their lyrics are very powerful, inspirational, and are always just vague enough that you can mold it to your own circumstances and relate to them. A lot of their lyrics have almost sounded like a story. One that I think we will see light for the new album.
When asked on their Facebook if this was a concept album they said yes, stating that the new album will be called ‘Phantom Shadow’ and will be released this August. It will be very complex and consist of many layers.
As a fan, this teaser has me greatly excited. My hope for this album is that it will go the route of Coheed and Cambria in how they have many albums that all connect to a central story. That type of idea is great because it gives every single track meaning no matter what because it’s all part of a story. My own personal opinion comes in here that I hope this is a step up from the last record.
I’ve listened to them ever since 2005 right after Deus Ex Machinae came out. I was a nerd with nerdy friends and we practically lived on our dial-up internet. One of my friends happened upon their music and mixed CDs were spread around our group. Needless to say I’ve been a long time fan. As the albums progressed I loved where they were heading until I got to A View from the End of the World. It’s a great album but it took me a bit longer to get in to it. Rise of a Digital Nation even longer to get in to.
In fact I’m still trying to get in to Rise of a Digital Nation.
Machinae Supremacy’s sound is unique; one that should not be watered down for the mainstream and that’s what I fear happened on the last two records. They made it sound more universal to everyone. But to me this music isn’t just for everyone. It is raw, powerful, and meant for those who are not considered ‘mainstream’. This is just my honest opinion because I still listen to them. I will still continue to listen to them. And when I’ve voiced this exact opinion online in the Machinae Tribe Facebook group (which Robert Stjärnström is a part of and interacts with his fans there) I was told I would be pleasantly surprised and to wait to see what’s in store. That has me excited.
My hope for this is that they return to the SID-Metal rawness that made them great. The retro gaming synths with the epic sweeping guitar solos and lyrics to make me feel like I can overcome anything that’s thrown at me. With the idea of a concept album and story, I really hope it goes further than just Phantom Shadow. Not only do we get a teaser but it almost looked like a movie. Making me heavily speculate is there going to be a movie? Or will there just be really awesome trailers to coincide with the story being told on CD? Regardless it’s got me pumped!
There is a rumored track list was posted online via the bands own forum and has yet to be confirmed or denied by the band. But, being a fan of this band, it’s not surprising to find them leaking their own information for the fans to dig up and post online. So whether this track list is legit or not, it is still something to be excited about. Also scroll past the track listing for the album teaser trailer.
1. “I Wasn’t Made for The World I Left Behind”
2. “The Villain of This Story”
3. “Perfect Dark”
4. “Europa”
5. “Throne of Games”
6. “Meanwhile in The Hall of Shadows”
7. “Phantom Battle”
8. “Captured (Sara’s Theme)”
9. “Renegades”
10. “Beyond Good and Evil”
11. “The Second One”
12. “Redemption Was Never Really My Thing”
13. “The Bigger They Are The Harder They Fall”
14. “Versus”
15. “Mortal Wound (Skye’s Requiem)”
16. “Hubnester Rising”
