WZNZ FM Radio
By John Maycumber, WZNZ
Schizophrenic in a good way, CD shifts from cold
electronica to raw metal like a wild mood swing. Good release: radio-friendly
cuts. We are playing it.
Street Blast 2/2008
By Station Manager
When we received our submission from "Ghost In The Machine" dubbed "GITM," which is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin - I was quite surprised. I was also excited, because I was charmed by the bands audio samples, and kept thinking - "ok, um send me some full length tracks, and lets hear whatcha got." I also thought the lead singer was um, well - he caught my eye. In a world of packaged rock bands, and cheesy press kits, GITM is one of those bands that stands out in the crowd, and delivers a dark thrill to this genre blend which is erotic, hardcore, and a hundred other things all woven together.
GITM’s music is classified by the band as "rocktronica or industrial," and at first I was a bit taken aback by the bands genre, and the fact it was coming from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (No disrespect, but I live in Kentucky and we aren’t exactly the mecca for industrial/rock either!) But, I digress….
Since listening to samples of GITM, I have downloaded all of their available albums from iTunes, and have created a playlist on my iPod which is now part of my daily commute to and from work. Yeah, I dig them. My indie music playlist has become so huge, that I am so grateful for this website and this job, because some of the best music I own is not available in a mainstream store. "GITM," starts with crunchy techno goth driven orchestrations, which combine with some fingerworkin’ guitar that makes for a cool ass sound. Vocals for the tracks are blown out into either electronic filters and/or raw voice tracks that come from vocalist "C4" (Chris Weerts), who reminds me of a New York Strip, and you know how much I love steak. ;) The band has a mixed look, which combined with some interesting talent for electronica/techno/goth/rock/metal blends - it’s quite original in a sense that you would never expect to hear this from a group so geographically stereotyped. Long live diversity!
Their single "The One You Love," from their album "The One Within" is one of my favorite tracks, which harbors a more upbeat lift to the singers darker rasps. C4 has this vocal range that perks my nipples, with the ability to belt out harmonics and melodics that work like audio-viagra to me. Ok, sorry - still thinking about that steak.
GITM is definately a must have for fans of the rocktronica/industrial fans, or fans of anyone who is hotter than hell (C4) or just fans of good music. This is one band to shove in your iPod and rock out with. After all, these farm boys know how to have a good time - and I wouldn’t mind rollin in the hay.
Rock Net Webzine 2/2008
By Angela Monger
This is a band that hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their music is described as rocktronica. It's a mixture of rock and electronica with aspects of industrial as well. I checked out the CD and thought it was pretty damn cool stuff. Especially if you're a fan of industrial music as I am, you will definitely enjoy this CD. It's pulsating and at times has a Rob Zombie feel to it. They do a cool cover of ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" and definitely pull it off with their own style and feel to it. Sometimes electronica music can get a bit staid but these guys keep the listener's attention throughout the record and definitely experiment with various sounds.
Indie Music 11/2007
By Catherine L. Tully
This Milwaukee band plays "rocktronica," a mixture of rock and electronica, although it is more than the sum of its parts. Right out of the box, the first track charges the listener with a kind of "tribal" sound in addition to the heavy metal feel, punctuated with electronic pulses. The lyrics are often pretty intense -- not stuff for young ears, but fans of industrial themes and sounds will enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Sometimes a hint of Rob Zombie, others a little like Prodigy, and here and there a bit like Front 242, there is a dance vibe to many of these tracks -- not of the pop kind, but a pumping, thumping, wanna spin around and feel it thing going on. Think dance floor, a few beers and strobe lights, zoning out to the sound. The second song, "Monster," is a perfect example of this. One of the highlights here is the last track; a smoky cover version of ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" that definitely rocks hard.
The characteristic that makes this group a real standout is that they are keyed in as to the exact right moment to change sounds. Electronic music can fail in its repetitive nature, with musicians falling so in love with a sound that they become blind to the fact that the listener needs flow. Ghost In The Machine has mastered this, and that in part is what makes their songs triumph. I for one am really pleased to have discovered this band. Good industrial dance sound is tough to come by.
ReGen 10/2006
By: Mike Ventarola
10 years of Ghosts possessing a strong pulse-beat on the need for original underground electronics.
One of the most rewarding things about reviewing music is being at the outset of a band's career and still being around long enough to watch them grow and further develop into a force that early fans recognized. Such is the case with Ghost in the Machine, a band started by two friends and band mates from a previous metal band. Mike Kern and Chris Weerts decided to create an adaptable electronic/industrial/rock sound that wasn't easily pigeonholed into a neat little genre box. 10 years have passed since their inception with rave reviews following the releases of a number of full-length CDs, as well as maxi singles and guest remixes. In 2002, additional friend and band mate, R.J. Thompson was added to the duo, helping to create an even more vibrant trio. Thompson was a part of the last CD, The Repo Session, whose multitude of tracks became a staple on MTV and various cable stations. With the launch of The One Within, GitM have carved their own niche and sound to create their best work to date. In spite of the gravelly sound in most vocals, GitM managed to really work tirelessly on harmony that would complement the harsher sound. This is first brought to our attention with the track "Monster," which could best be described as an homage to Rob Zombie with crunchy boot-stomping harshness that dare your feet to stay still. The track "Contact" took drum & bass, electronics, and vocal effects to new boot-stomping heights that it becomes apparent why film and television have been looking to this band for the pulse-beat for what is happening in the underground. It is still important to remember this is a band that is NOT signed to a label and is independently releasing professional studio quality sound. "Confession" brings a mid-tempo hip-grinding beat to the table, focusing on how the vocals have evolved. Additionally, there is a bit of vocal processing that creates the man and machine ideation, which is what the band name stands for. Those DJs who may think that GitM is all too harsh for their floors, take note of the track "Invincible," which is highly infectious from the first note to the last. Overall, Ghost in the Machine continue to garner new fans with each passing year, largely due to the fresh spin that they have been able to place upon the de rigueur style of music in the underground. The styles are reflective of what is currently popular in the electronic underground, but make no mistake; their tonal output is clearly their own original stamp.
BangBang! 7/2007
By: André Péloquin
French:
L’album de Ghost In The Machine débute sur une atmosphère qui pourrait rappeler Lacuna Coil. Les pièces s’enchaînent, on découvre une guitare efficace, qui décape juste ce qu’il faut, un petit côté dynamo à la Prodigy et une ambiance industrielle et autodestructrice à la Nine Inch Nails, voire Rammstein à certains moments. Arrive la pièce Invincible… Et commence le cirque du mauvais goût! On a déjà trop entendu le son électronique qui ponctue la pièce et, comble de malheur, la voix du chanteur en vient même à ressembler à celle de Robbie Williams! Les choses empirent deux pièces plus tard. C’est le retour aux discothèques des années 90 avec The One You Love. Vous aimez le mélange des genres? Vous apprécierez sûrement cette galette. Je suis d’avis que, trop de mélange de genres, c’est comme pas assez….
English:
The album of Ghost In The Machine begins on an atmosphere which could point out Lacuna Coil. The parts are connected, one discovers an effective guitar, which pickle just what it is necessary, a small side dynamo in the Prodigy and an industrial and self-destroying environment in Nine Inch Nails, even Rammstein at certain times. Arrive the Invincible part... And the circus of the bad taste starts! One already too much heard the his electronics which punctuates the part and, roof of misfortune, the voice of the singer even comes from there to resemble that of Robbie Williams! The things worsen two parts later. It is the return to the discotheques of the Nineties with The One You Love. You like the mixture of the kinds? You will appreciate surely this wafer. I am of the opinion that, too much mixture of kinds, it is like step enough....
Backstage Pass 7/2007
By: Kristin Theckston
Gravity Kills and techno fans will latch onto this group and never let them go. Ghost In The Machine is an industrial/rock band from Wisconsin that has dance, techno, industrial, and a few others to create a modern sound- they call "Rocktronica." Right now the guys are writing music for a few up and coming independent films while still managing to bring fresh ideas to the fans. This cd is the kind you should take with you to the gym or do your aerobics to it gets the adrenaline pumping so you wanna move your ass around. The songs have a different sound switching from dance to alternative, they like to mix it all up an see what they get. It's an upbeat musical evolution. An all night rave would love to have these songs on their play list.
The band even does a cover of ZZ Tops "Sharp Dressed Man" that's bound to impress. The tracks on here remind me of the days I used to go to the clubs in Philly with my best bud Donna lee. Many a drunken night was spent dancing to stellar tunes very similar to Ghost In The Machine's tracks on "The One Within." I miss those days and now I can atleast keep reliving them in my head. Anyone who hears this will wanna move and I know if you are listening to it in your car, your gonna get lead foot and drive around like a maniac so be careful. "The One Within" will give you the motivation to get thru even your roughest of chores, driving the distance, or just whenever you god damn well feel like listening to it- and you'll be listening to it...alot!
NewImage Entertainment 2/2007
By: BRYANT S LITTLEJOHN
This CD ROCKS...... It has incredible energy and just head rocking tracks!! For dance club play, The One You Love has received good reviews for me. THIS CD is the CD for all out ENERGY THRASHING MUSIC!!! Good job!!
Metal Only 3/2007
By: Janne
In the info sheet that followed the latest
album by the American band GHOST IN THE MACHINE there is a promise of
rocktronica and industrial rock, a description that gives the listener a pretty
good idea of what is to be expected on ”The One Within”. The band has been
around for some time now and among other tings they seem to have gotten a song
included on a DVD release of the cool film Serenity.
What I didn’t
expect from this album was how dance floor friendly it would turn out to be,
something the albums initial songs also effectively hides. This is because after
the short intro ”Birth (Of A Monster)” a quite heavy industrial metal kicks in
where you soundwise can draw some parallels to ROB ZOMBIE. Even though “Monster”
is a really good song, it’s not until “Contact” that I really get blown away
with it’s catchy melody, heavy guitar riffs and quite aggressive vocals, all
covered in a thick layer of electronic music. It’s after this song that the
dance friendly sound suddenly turns up, where the synthesizers takes more or
less over the quite heavy guitar sound that was found in the initial songs. The
song “Confession” still contains some traces of the heavier and more metal-ish
sound, but when you reach songs like “Invincible” and “The One You Love” you’ll
find that these traces are now more or less erased and what you now have is
something that may be described as a mixture of aggrotech and futurepop.
Alongside these tracks you also get some more of the guitar based tracks in
“King Of My World” and “Standalone”, so the aggressive feel of the album doesn’t
really ever disappear, despite these side trips. After “Three”, which is the
last of the dance floor friendly songs you once again reach the more aggressive
and guitar based sound, even though it never again gets as heavy as on the first
songs. Among these there are also a really cool industrial metal cover on ZZ
TOP's song “Sharp Dressed Man”, which also ends the album.
There are
plenty of really strong songs on “The One Within” of which I would especially
want to mention “Contact”, “The One You Love”, “Three” and “Kill Site” as the
best ones. This together with the fact that the lowest level is also really high
gives GHOST IN THE MACHINE yet another fan. Excellent, really excellent!
Technicolor UFO 1/2007
By All Scissors Smile
Here's some fun (and underground) trance-ish/electronic rock. "The One Within" is pretty entertaining - there's no rap, the electronic/industrial effect is layered nicely, and the vocals give it a really nice touch, and are certainly not overdone. My only complaint is about how most songs sound alike, but there's a few standout tracks that are amazing all on their own. They've definitely set themselves apart from the rest of this genre, and overall, it's just an awesome kick-back album to listen to.
Ukrainian Gothic Portal 1/2007
Reviewed by Arsenicum
Russian:
Ghost in the machine относительно молодая, хоть и не очень, группа из США, играющая вполне мелодичный индастриал-электро-рок в лучших стилях уже известных всем нам Oomph! с англоязычной лирикой. Очень интересная группа с хорошим и качественным звучанием на которую я думаю стоит обратить внимание всем любителям жанра.
Новый альбом группы под названием "The one within" вышедший в конце прошедшего года является третим полноформатным альбомом группы (их дискография также насчитывает шесть ЕРшек) и представляет из себя колоритную смесь гитарных рифов, танцевольной электроники и агрессивного но вполне понятного и не орущего вокала. Диск насчитывает тринадцать треков разного звучания и продолжительности, на нём можно найти как быстрые и агрессивные композиции типа "Contact" и "Monster", но он также не обделён относительно спокойными и мелодичными композициями как "Confession" которые уже напоминают отчасти рок музыку семидесяты и восьмидесятых. Ну а также на альбоме есть почти ЕВМовые композиции, полностью построеные на электронных битах и мелодиях, таковой композицией является пятая по счёту на альбоме песня "Invincible" а также композиция "Three".
Воoбще, на мой взгляд диск достаточно разношёрстный, не навязчивый и мелодичный, и должен прийтись по вкусу как любителям гитарных рифов так и любителям потанцевать под мелодичную электронику. Так что крайне рекомендуется.
English:
Ghost in the machine relatively young, although not very, the group of THE USA, which plays completely melodious indastrial-electro- fate in the best styles of the already known to all to us oomph! with the English-language lyric poetry. Very interesting group with a good and qualitative sounding on which I think it is worthwhile to focus attention to all amateurs of genre. The new album of group by the name "The one within" left at the end of the past year is the tretim full-format album of the group (their diskografiya also it counts six YeRshek) and it represents the picturesque mixture of gitarnykh reefs, tantsevol'noy electronics and aggressive but completely intelligible and not yelling vokala. Disk counts thirteen tracks of different sounding and duration, on it can be found as the rapid and aggressive compositions of the type "Contact" and "Monster", but it also is not shared unfairly by relatively calm and melodious compositions as "Confession" which they already resemble partly fate music they are seventieth and the eightieth. Well and also on the album there are the almost YeVMovye compositions, completely postroyenye on the electronic bits and the melodies, such composition is the fifth according to the calculation on the album song "Invincible" and also composition "Three". Vo.obshche, in my view disk sufficiently different coat, not obtrusive and melodious, and must arrive on the taste both for the amateurs of gitarnykh reefs and for the amateurs to have a dance under melodious electronics. So that extremely is recommended.
8/10
Morbid Outlook - Radio Esoterica 1/2007
Reviewed by Mike Ventarola
The Hidden Sanctuary
The One Within is the latest release from this upper West Coast band who are slaying the masses with their tight sound. Having heard this band from their early days to now, I must admit, I feel like a proud dad of sorts. These guys have grown up musically before my very eyes and ears and I can’t help but to applaude this release. Make no mistake, they have not shied away from their harsher music, but this particular track is sure to be a club hit in a couple of months, mark my words!
Darker than the Bat 12/2006
band : Ghost In The Machine
CD : The One Within
label : self released
style : industrial rock
tracks : 13
release date :
comments : from Milwaukee WI USA - debut was released in 1998 - including the Sharp Dressed Man ZZ Top cover - thirteen songs right after the intro - powerful - blend of electronics and guitar - professional - Daft Punk meets Metallica
recommended tracks : Confession, King Of My World, The One You Love
score : 8
home : http://www.gitm.net
Melodic.net 12/2006
Reviewed by Kaj Roth
Rating: 3 stars
Imagine Rob Zombie as the vocalist on Rammstein's "Sennsucht" album and you'll get industrial metal band Ghost In The Machine.
The band features: Chris Weertz - Vocals/Programming/Guitar, RJ Thompson - Guitar/Vocals and Mike Kern - Bass/Programming/Vocals.
Ghost In The Machine was formed by Chris and Mike, both former members of the 80's metal band Hangman - they decided on trying a new direction of industrial metal with traces of techno with GITM and released their debut EP in 1998.
The following year, they put out their first full length "The haunting begins" and in 2002, they added guitarist RJ Thompson to the line up - the second LP "The Repo session" was released in early 2005 and now they gives us their brand new cd "The One Within".
GITM has licensed music to MTV, VH1 and the movie "Gamebox 1.0" which should be perfect thinking of their hi-tech metal with dancebeats!
"Monster", "Contact", "F.I.S.T" and "King of my world" are excellent industry metal while the black sheep of the album is techno part of songs like "Invincible" and "The one you love" that has it's home on a rave party instead.
They have done a real cool cover of ZZ Top's "Sharp dressed man", GITM are more metal than techno thank god.
Fans of Celldweller might like this album.
Underground Press Feature 2006
Reviewed By Morticia Devine
Rating: 4 Skulls
The third release from the 3-piece USA Rocktronic outfit, Ghost in the Machine, rages with dark-tinged energy, a raucous sound and brutal edge. It's a progressive symbiosis between the pulse of Electronica, the machine-driven potency of Industrial and the melodic strength of Rock. The band covers the ZZ Top track, “Sharp Dressed Man” for an impressive end to this brilliant album. Released in 2006.