Music: The Red Chord: Fed Through the Teeth Machine

Our Take

Describing deathcore/death metal band The Red Chord as “structured” may certainly seem strange when one considers just how chaotic their previous material has been, but it does seem appropriate when describing the group’s latest full length release Fed Through the Teeth Machine. This time around the instrumentalists have chosen to utilize more groove and structure than before while maintaining the level of energy that the band has become known for. And while it is unclear whether long time fans will consider if to be their best or not, there is no denying that this is still a great release.

Despite the fact that the songs are more structured, they still maintain a sense of chaotic energy that is quite impressive. This is evident right from the start, as on the opening track “Demoralizer” the band hits listeners with an insane amount of blast beats and tempo changes. In fact, the time changes may be what keeps The Red Chord feeling so chaotic as if one looks at the group from a riff/beat perspective everything feels a lot more structured than before. Listeners may even be surprised to discover that there are some legitimate guitar solos included on some of the songs, and this definitely gives the material a bit more variety than before. Although Mike “Gunface” McKenzie is now the sole guitarist, it is actually hard to tell as he does a nice job of blending rhythm and lead parts together throughout each song. And while there are still moments where songs tend to blend together, as a whole listeners will still be sure to enjoy the album.

Vocalist Guy Kozowyk sounds even more aggressive than before, which I honestly didn’t think was possible after 2007’s Prey For Eyes. However, the reason for this may be due to the fact that there are quite a few moments on Fed Through the Teeth Machine where the instrumentals scale back a bit and give the vocals the focus. This really gives Kozowyk the chance to give it his all, and now that his vocals aren’t always fighting for your attention over a constant wall of sound they stand out even more than before. In addition to this, the lyrical content is easier to understand and this is sure to make the songs a bit more memorable than before.

The Red Chord have always been an impressive act, and with Fed Through the Teeth Machine they have proven that they can implement a little bit more structure and throw in some solos into their established sound. I am still a little partial to Prey For Eyes, but this effort has more than enough interesting elements to keep me coming back for more. They may still be considered deathcore, but The Red Chord is still leagues ahead of many of the other acts in the genre and it doesn’t look as though they are going to be slowing down any time soon.

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Chris Dahlberg
October 27, 2009