Circle of Dust - Machines of Our Disgrace (2016)Release ID: 4252
Creativity and technology were really advancing in the 90s. ONE MAN, Klayton decided to put his music skills to the test as a once-unknown man determined to fulfill his vision. His project Circle of Dust takes on industrial metal fury that has given him a reasonable fanbase. Turmoils over record labels and the target audience caused the end of the project. He would start his next project Celldweller and formed his own label FiXT, having more electronic rock/industrial metal freedom.
The earliest hints of Circle of Dust returning came in 2015 with a couple remixes of Celldweller and Scandroid (his electronic side-project) tracks. Later that year, it was announced that he had finally regained to the albums he made as Circle of Dust, as well as Argyle Park, re-releasing them in remastered forms with a huge array of bonus material. While he has completely brought all of his 90s work back to light, there was one thing left to prove that Circle of Dust isn't dead... A new album! Machines of Our Disgrace, released in late 2016, has the blazing aggression of industrial metal you've known from Circle of Dust, probably the best album since Brainchild.
Distortion fills the intro "Re_Engage" in electronic ambience. Then the metal fury fires away in the title track, a h*lla fantastic highlight resurrecting the band's earlier thrashy aggression. "Contagion" can fit well in this album as much as any of the earlier material. Some of the best lyrics, riffs, keys, and samples can be found here, almost like it's a Brainchild B-side. "Embracing Entropy" is more melodic and electronic. "Humanarchy" is another highlight of aggressive chaos. It's like Nailbomb 2.0!
"Signal" is a 30-second interlude with a robotic warning about an atomic bomb. Grabbing your attention again is "Alt_Human", alternating between electronic and vicious. "Hive Mind" is another synthy anthem, looking back at the sound of Disengage. "Outside In" is probably the project's first ballad. I love that beautiful song so d*mn much.
"Neurachem" blasts forward with more of the cyber complexity from the first two albums. Another instrumental "K_OS" would throw back to some more of the electronic melody. "Neophyte" strikes with dance beats and vocal harmonies, almost sounding like a B-side from the debut. The closing track "Malacandra" has the cinematics, synths, and acoustics of darkness peril that have shaped up the instrumentals from Disengage.
It's no farce that Machines of Our Disgrace would mark a true rebirth this underrated underground project by Klayton. Well-produced compositions push through the limits of industrial metal, coming out as another perfect achievement. The music and lyrics are both heavy and compelling, with the concept of striking back against the mechanical atrocities of the world. Klayton has proven himself to be a master of industrial rock/metal, and longtime fans can enjoy this music that's so complex and intense. Circle of Dust has returned, and the vision has come full circle!
Favorites: "Machines of Our Disgrace", "Contagion", "Humanarchy", "Hive Mind", "Outside In", "Neurachem", "Neophyte"
