Aittala – Machines

Aittala
Machines
Label: Exitus Stratagem Records
Out: April 11^th, 2025
Playing time: 33:21

Dutch singer and guitarist Eric Aittala founded the band named after him back in 1991. At the time, they opened shows for The Gathering and Sadist. The demo ‘Selling Heaven’ with six songs was released in 1993. After that, it was over for now. After a hiatus of fifteen years, Eric dared to make a new start. Despite frequent line-up changes, six albums were released, most recently ‘Live To Regret’ (2022). By then, the band had already shrunk to a trio. The current album ‘Machines’ was recorded by the ‘dynamic duo’ Eric Aittala and Gary Smith (quote from the press release). The songs were actually recorded between 1990 and 1997, but Aittala has now revitalised them and enhanced them with modern production techniques.

The title track ‘Machines’ opens the album. A harsh guitar plays heavy, calm Doom sounds at first. Later it gets faster, but the heavy riffs remain. You have to wait a long time for the vocals. These slow down the song and the heaviness is temporarily reduced. Now it seems ballad-like. But towards the end it picks up speed again and a filigree guitar solo can be heard. There are also hard and heavy riffs in ‘Myself Deceived’, mostly in the mid-tempo range. ‘Misery’ is then more Doom Metal again. But not throughout. Later you can hear an electric piano, which provides a calmer sound. ‘To Know The Man’ starts off quietly. Are there doom metal anthems? This song would be a candidate for this category. Then I am a little confused. The next two songs are called ‘Machines (Prologue)’ and ‘Machines (Epilogue)’. I would have expected at least the first of these two at the beginning of the album (because of the title). However, the ‘Prologue’ is instrumental and would have been an outstanding intro. With doomy riffs and a hard but melodic guitar melody. The ‘Epilogue’ is a little quieter again. And forms the perfect finale. Starting ballad-like, there is a tempo increase.

Eric Aittala is obviously nostalgic on ‘Machines’. But that in no way means that the sound is frozen in the past. On the contrary, the production is modern and powerful. The individual songs are thus transferred to the here and now. A good album, even if the band is ‘only’ a duo.

Aittala – Myself Deceived: https://youtu.be/QMuyW4XqzdY?si=Ko5aOg-ZQ-X8XCq_

Lineup:

Eric Aittala – Guitars/Vocals
Gary “Zeus” Smith – Drums

Track list:

• Machines
• Myself Deceived
• Misery
• To Know The Man
• Machines (Prologue)
• Machines (Epilogue)