When someone mentions Machine Head and “awesome” in the same sentence, I can’t help but laugh. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a fond dislike for all things Machine Head. Their last album The Blackening was hailed by many in the metal community as one of the greateste records of the year, and I couldn’t help but cringe and whisper “why?” I bring up Machine Head because it’s unfortunately relevant to the sound of Ohio’s Deflagration. You see, no matter how well produced your music is, or how tight you are as a band, if your band sounds like the post-thrash rumblings of Machine Head, I am going to be immediately turned off, and yes, A Call to Arms sounds like Machine Head.

I hate basing my dissatisfaction for a band based on my (dis)interest in another, but Machine Head is just so fucking awful, that they have reserved their own little leper metal island for themselves. So when a new band comes along, and their style seems to echo that band from that shitty little leper island, I am turned off. With that said, it’s very obvious that, as I alluded to earlier, Deflagration have put together a worthy piece of metal that can and should be distributed to the masses. Just because little ole’ me doesn’t really dig it, doesn’t mean it’s not acceptable. Confused yet? Well let me explain.

A Call to Arms is an album that has all the right moves…for it’s sound. IF you are a fan of post-thrash in the style of Machine Head, then there is literally no reason why you would not like this, in fact, Deflagration plays Machine Head metal better than Machine Head. Other similar artists that one could compare Deflagration to would be Lamb of God and Devildriver in the groove department.

I tell ya, I really want to like this album but I simply do not like this style of metal all that much. There are some good solo’s and all around well put together musicianship, but the riffs just don’t stick with me and I find myself wanting to skip to the next song. Like I said though, if you are a fan of the bands I compared Deflagration to, them please do yourself a favor and check out the band’s Myspace and purchase this release if you like what you hear.

NOT BAD

Top Tracks: Color and Ash, So There I Was, Vile Chrome Bastard Machine

Similar Artists: Lamb of God, Devildriver, Machine Head, A Perfect Murder

1.    Relentless
2.    Heavy Lefty
3.    Chainlink Hammerhead
4.    A Call to Arms
5.    Idol Eyes
6.    Split Wide
7.    Color and Ash
8.    Bleed the Line
9.    So There I Was
10.    Ain’t No Different
11.    Vile Chrome Bastard Machine

Beau VanBibber – Vocals, Guitar
Eric Mendoza – Bass
Tony Ritzler – Drums
Skot King – Guitar

Self Released

http://www.myspace.com/deflagration

Review by CODY