Wolverine - Machine Viva

Wolverine dip into some heavy tones and themes, deliver some substantial crunch, but also don't shy from long stretches of mellow. This results in a serious lull from tracks two to three, moving from the sleepy ‘Machina’ to the even sleepier official album version of ‘Pile of Ash’. More about the latter track in a bit. Vocalist Stefan Zell also keeps it clean, subdued, and nondescript; subordinate to the louder sections, but shakily confident when leading the quiet times. There are traces of Ronnie James Dio's ballad voice + Mikael Akerfeldt's ballad voice in his vocals throughout. For the most part, Wolverine operate as a pack, focusing more on the total musical passages than showcasing any individual in the band.

Two of the most intriguing things about "Machine Viva" are the dual versions of ‘Pile of Ash’. The album standard version is a passable ballad-like song, with nothing but vocals and effects-touched undistorted guitars. The bonus version, however, seems to keep the vocal track, but replaces the guitars with cello, imbuing the material with a completely new, powerful vibe. The songs transforms from "not bad" to something beautiful; it's truly one of the album highlights. Otherwise, I also quite like the album opener, ‘The Bedlam Overture’, in spite of its daunting 14 minute duration. The almost-8 minute ‘The Pledge’ is also noteworthy for its shifting movements and tones.

There's an abundance of very good musical passages, but overall, the songs do lack some of the bite of the great bands they emulate. (not a Wolverine joke. Maybe I should have said "claws"?) These guys will be described as Prog Metal, but if you're a Prog Metal fan who craves the energy and technical prowess of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Vanishing Point, etc. then this might not be your thing. If you're down with some variance between heaviness and slow tempos, however, without going Doom, then this will hold strong appeal for you. I definitely enjoy dedicating the time and attention that the songs on "Machine Viva" require of their audience. It works for me.