Artist: Gizmachi
Title: “The Imbuing”
Label: Sanctuary Records/Big Orange Clown
Release Date: 5/3/2005
Genre: Nu-Metal
Rating: 6.5/10

Gizmachi have the distinct honor of being the first act signed to new label Big Orange Clown. This label is not only a subdivision of Sanctuary Records, but it is also under the watchful eye of M. Shawn Crahan who is most noted for his role as Clown #6 of Slipknot. Crahan had a heavy hand in the production of the group so you can count on it being heavy and well produced. The kick off to the CD is interesting as it blends Alice In Chains like harmonies amidst the pounding brand of metal they do. Musically there is a lot of great hooks and some interesting changes. I did not like a lot of the vocals for it falls into the growling screamer most of the time and this is done far too much these days. When singer Sean Kane uses more melody in his style it works a lot more for me. The drumwork laid down by Jimmie Hatcher is above par, lots of interesting time signatures and rolls throughout the piece.

The standout tracks for me were instantly “The Answer”, and “Bloodwine” for the melody they chose to mix with the track. “Romantic Devastation” begins with a progressive run that would impress any fan of technical playing but the rest of that track is only ok if you asked me. The rest of the CD is a mix of the two styles but has a lot of similarities to the other tracks. This is no means a bad thing for a debut release for there is always room to grow and expand. Yet there are folks who demand this style above all else.

The people who dig the Slipknot sound might enjoy this a little more since it has a connection to the Slipknot guy, however it stands the risk of falling to the wayside if some more of the strong points they have demonstrated are not focused on in future music. The industry seems to be making room once again for power house singing and musical composition and only a select few in the growler metal stand to remain standing should this regain dominance in the market. Audience listeners today do not seem to focus as much hard core dedication on bands as they used to and interest is definitely fleeting in a lot of cases. I feel Gizmachi has the potential to surpass some of their peers, so let’s see what comes out from them next.

Track Listing:
1. The Answer
2. Wandering Eyes
3. Bloodwine
4. Burn
5. Romantic Devastation
6. Wearing Skin
7. People Show
8. Voice Of Sanity

Official Website: www.gizmachi.net