The End Machine are an American supergroup consisting of guitar god George Lynch, bassist Jeff Pilson, drummer Mick Brown and new singer Girish Pradhan who replaced former Warrant frontman Robert Mason.
The band released their self-titled debut – old school – I like it!! – to positive reviews and that was quickly followed up in 2021 with Phase2. Both albums are a deliberate, and wholly successful, attempt by Lynch to return to the classic Dokken sound.
By 2024 the hard rock is a very well-trodden musical path. It is hard to think of any modern bands that genuinely offer something new to the genre. Of course following those baggy and miserable lumberjack shirted scruffians that kicked the genre off MTV and off the cover of music magazines.
Let’s cut to the chase. The great thing about this album is that nigh on every track is instantly memorable just as those classic hard rock albums of the 1970’s to early 1990’s. After just one playthrough you can already have the chorus nailed down and spinning like a whirling dervish in your mind. However, the album is far from predictable hard rock fare.
Vocalist Girish Paradhan has a tenor voice born for hard rock. Nothing displays this better than the raucous “Stand Up” which is a foot-stomper of earth-shaking proportions. Likewise “Silent Winter” is a stormer but showcases the full range of atmospherics, emotions and power that TEM possess to devastating effect.
“Hell or High Water” is an absolute classic. Relentless energy, blistering guitar work driven by a ferocious bass line and drumming that is as vital as anything released in modern times. This is all-killer no-filler terrority and is guaranteed to end up on any serious hard rock fans album of the year list.
I will deliberately not mention any other tracks as you need to go and listen for yourself………..NOW!!!
Obviously album sales days ain’t what they used to be no matter how good or popular and album is but I reckon if this album came out in the late 1980’s then you would be looking at an album that would be revered today amongst the battle-jacketed minions of my youth.
Donnie’s Rating: 9.5/10 Out-fuckin-standing!!!
