Saviour Machine I
Encyclopedia
Saviour Machine I is the 1993 debut album of the American metal band Saviour Machine
. In 2010, HM Magazine ranked it #72 on the Top 100 Christian metal albums of all time list.
and co-produced and arranged by Eric Clayton
. Saviour Machine I was mixed at The Mixing Lab by Gene Eugene and Bob Moon, and additional engineering was done by Drew Aldridge. The album was mastered by Doug Doyle at Digital Brothers, Costa Mesa, California. On this album the band's line-up consisted of the quartet Eric Clayton (vocals), Jeff Clayton (guitar), Dean Forsyth (bass), and Samuel West (drums). Bob Watson played piano, keyboard and conducted the orchestration, and backing vocals were sung by Jimmy P. Brown II (Deliverance), Love Larrimore, Riki Michelle, and Terry Taylor.
. Eric Clayton's vocals are operatic and mostly on the high tenor range, sometimes taking a more lower baritone range. The overall atmosphere of the album is dark, and the symphonic keyboards give it an apocalyptic rock opera feel. The album incorporates influences from gothic rock and the dark heavy metal style of Black Sabbath. Saviour Machine I is the band's most uptempo and lively album, as the following album would focus more on downtempo arrangements and emotion, and the Legend trilogy focused more on oppressive story telling.
The lyrics mostly deal with Christian themes, ranging from the more mystic approach such as on "The Mask" to hypocrisy within the Christendom and in the World such as on the song "Christians and Lunatics".
While the album was banned in the United States, Saviour Machine I achieved more notice in the Europe. Few gothic metal albums like this existed in the early 1990s, and Saviour Machine I is considered as some kind of landmark in that genre especially in the Christian metal
movement.
The album was re-released on Massacre Records in 1996 with different packaging.
Saviour Machine
Saviour Machine is an American Christian metal band that formed in 1989. They have released five studio albums and two live albums on Frontline and subsequently on MCM Music, distributed through Massacre Records...
. In 2010, HM Magazine ranked it #72 on the Top 100 Christian metal albums of all time list.
Recording history
Saviour Machine I was recorded after the band signed a record deal with the Christian music label Frontline Records at The Green Room and The Mixing Lab. The album was produced by Terry Scott TaylorTerry Scott Taylor
Terry Scott Taylor is an American songwriter, record producer, writer and founding member of the bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies . Taylor is also a member of the roots and alternative music group, Lost Dogs. He is currently based in San Jose, California, USA.Taylor is highly regarded for...
and co-produced and arranged by Eric Clayton
Eric Clayton
Eric Clayton is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known for his work in the influential gothic symphonic metal group Saviour Machine which he formed with his brother Jeff Clayton in 1989...
. Saviour Machine I was mixed at The Mixing Lab by Gene Eugene and Bob Moon, and additional engineering was done by Drew Aldridge. The album was mastered by Doug Doyle at Digital Brothers, Costa Mesa, California. On this album the band's line-up consisted of the quartet Eric Clayton (vocals), Jeff Clayton (guitar), Dean Forsyth (bass), and Samuel West (drums). Bob Watson played piano, keyboard and conducted the orchestration, and backing vocals were sung by Jimmy P. Brown II (Deliverance), Love Larrimore, Riki Michelle, and Terry Taylor.
Overview
Musically, the album showcases a combination of progressive metal, symphonic metal and gothic metal. The song structures are complicated and feature extensive guitar solos that present melodies reminiscent of Middle Eastern musicMiddle Eastern music
The music of Western Asia and North Africa spans across a vast region, from Morocco to Afghanistan, and its influences can be felt even further afield. Middle Eastern music influenced the music of India, as well as Central Asia, Spain, Southern Italy, the Caucasus and the Balkans, as in chalga...
. Eric Clayton's vocals are operatic and mostly on the high tenor range, sometimes taking a more lower baritone range. The overall atmosphere of the album is dark, and the symphonic keyboards give it an apocalyptic rock opera feel. The album incorporates influences from gothic rock and the dark heavy metal style of Black Sabbath. Saviour Machine I is the band's most uptempo and lively album, as the following album would focus more on downtempo arrangements and emotion, and the Legend trilogy focused more on oppressive story telling.
The lyrics mostly deal with Christian themes, ranging from the more mystic approach such as on "The Mask" to hypocrisy within the Christendom and in the World such as on the song "Christians and Lunatics".
Reception
According to Eric Clayton, a certain line in the song "Legion" was partially responsible for Saviour Machine I being banned from Christian book stores throughout the United States in the summer of 1993, only weeks after its release. The song's lyrics deal with apocalyptical themes about the rise of the Beast with a gothic horror approach. Because of the controversy surrounding "Legion" in particular, Saviour Machine I is still not distributed in the United States as of today. As a statement to this, since 1993 whenever the band has performed live, Eric Clayton has worn the flag of United States during the performance of "Legion". While few reviews of the album exist, Saviour Machine I was mostly well-received by the press and fans.While the album was banned in the United States, Saviour Machine I achieved more notice in the Europe. Few gothic metal albums like this existed in the early 1990s, and Saviour Machine I is considered as some kind of landmark in that genre especially in the Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
movement.
The album was re-released on Massacre Records in 1996 with different packaging.
Track listing
- Lyrics by Eric Clayton. Music by Eric Clayton and Jeff Clayton.
- "Carnival of Souls" - 6:05
- "Force of the Entity" - 3:53
- "Legion" - 4:32
- "Ludicrous Smiles" - 5:25
- "The Wicked Window" - 6:29
- "Son of the Rain" - 5:27
- "Killer" - 10:05
- "The Widow and the Bride" - 4:28
- "Christians and Lunatics" - 5:20
- "The Mask" - 4:29
- "World Alone" - 6:20
- "Jesus Christ" - 6:59
Saviour Machine
- Eric Clayton - vocals
- Jeff Clayton - guitars
- Dean Forsyth - bass
- Samuel West - drums
Additional musicians
- Bob Watson - piano, keyboard and orchestration
- Jimmy P. Brown II - backing vocals
- Love Larrimore - backing vocals
- Riki Michelle - backing vocals
- Terry Taylor - backing vocals
External links
- Saviour Machine I at Metal-Archives