Savior Machine Self-Titled Album - how does it stand up?

by Sevenoneself Wed Oct 12, 2022 9:23 pm

I've never listened to any other full albums by these guys. Does this album stand up over time, or does Eric Clayton have better material out there?

by Pethead Wed Oct 12, 2022 9:25 pm

This is the only album I have, but it’s fantastic when I’m in the right mood.

by Staybrite Wed Oct 12, 2022 9:46 pm

Pethead wrote:This is the only album I have, but it’s fantastic when I’m in the right mood.

Same here. I thought that self-titled album was quite good even though it's not a style that I usually like.
I had two of the Legend albums (not sure which ones) and ended up trading them off.

by Black Rider Wed Oct 12, 2022 10:03 pm

Not really my style either but that's a killer album. It's more accessible than their others imo.

by Dustofyears Wed Oct 12, 2022 10:09 pm

The memory I have of this album is my friend playing it for me while I was gazing at a neglected Album cover sitting on his floor with a fat cherub like child wiping away bread crumbs under a table. I asked him to play that instead and was glad I did.

by cailen Thu Oct 13, 2022 1:13 am

Classic!

This is what Saviour Machine stands for. I listen to the whole album since it came out.
It definitely stands the test of time. The whole album. No fillers Cool

by Tobi Elektrik Thu Oct 13, 2022 2:23 am

True piece of music history. And I'm speaking about music in general, not just the Christian rock and metal scene...

by Friday13th Thu Oct 13, 2022 10:10 am

It’s one of the top 5 Christian metal albums of all time, a clear 5/5 star. I own all the Saviour Machine albums, all are worth one’s time but none are quite to that level. Saviour Machine II is the second best, with the title track, Hunger Circle, Amercian Babylon, the Stand and other great tracks. I give it a 4.5, basically essential.

by Grindboy Thu Oct 13, 2022 11:51 am

I'm with the majority, great album.

As for how it compares to some of his other stuff, it's kind of hard for me. I think "II" is also a great album, but probably nod slightly toward this one. As for the "Legend" series stuff, it's great also but requires a little more patience and attention to fully appreciate, and lacks the payoff of, you know, being done. So it's more impressive on some levels and has some true epicness and many great songs, but then there's an awful lot of just piano stuff that's important to the story arc and the artistic element and if you want to put on headphones and go on a musical journey. . . for like 5 hours then I guess good. But if you just want music, it's still there but you have to dig through and mine for the fun tracks.

by Sevenoneself Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:19 pm

Thanks for everyone's input. The reason I asked is because this album has not aged well for me. I really like the style and the grandness but after awhile the songs all started to sound the same to me. From what I remember many of the melody lines and chord progressions were recycled throughout; but I'd need to verify that as I haven't listened to it in a few years. I bought it in mid '90s when it was pretty new and pretty bold/innovative for Christian music. I'm going to spin it again with the aim to appreciate it as much as possible. If most of you are agreeing that it's a strong album it could be that I don't actually enjoy this genre as much as I think I do.

by Pethead Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:21 pm

Sevenoneself wrote:Thanks for everyone's input. The reason I asked is because this album has not aged well for me. I really like the style and the grandness but after awhile the songs all started to sound the same to me. I bought it in mid '90s when it was pretty new and pretty bold/innovative for Christian music. I'm going to spin it again with the aim to appreciate it as much as possible. If most of you are agreeing that it's a strong album it could be that I don't actually enjoy this genre as much as I think I do.

I mean, it's easily better than As the World Bleeds Very Happy

by Sevenoneself Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:24 pm

Pethead wrote:
Sevenoneself wrote:Thanks for everyone's input. The reason I asked is because this album has not aged well for me. I really like the style and the grandness but after awhile the songs all started to sound the same to me. I bought it in mid '90s when it was pretty new and pretty bold/innovative for Christian music. I'm going to spin it again with the aim to appreciate it as much as possible. If most of you are agreeing that it's a strong album it could be that I don't actually enjoy this genre as much as I think I do.
I mean, it's easily better than As the World Bleeds

Savior Machine Self-Titled Album - how does it stand up? An-example-of-a-sarcastic-meme-comment

by zelote Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:25 pm

I do not like Saviour Machine music style, but this album is for me the different one of his discography. This record is the heaviest of his recordings and I really like it, I don't care for the rest of the band's discography. But this one is a piece of art.

by mothy Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:27 pm

My Older Brother was a huge SM fan but I never could get into them. Im not a guy who listens to music with any real intention or close attention. Its to entertain and SM was never a casual listen, it really took effort to get into the story and music. They were truly groundbreaking in christian music to do what they did and they were good at it.

by Pethead Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:39 pm

Sevenoneself wrote:
Pethead wrote:
Sevenoneself wrote:Thanks for everyone's input. The reason I asked is because this album has not aged well for me. I really like the style and the grandness but after awhile the songs all started to sound the same to me. I bought it in mid '90s when it was pretty new and pretty bold/innovative for Christian music. I'm going to spin it again with the aim to appreciate it as much as possible. If most of you are agreeing that it's a strong album it could be that I don't actually enjoy this genre as much as I think I do.
I mean, it's easily better than As the World Bleeds

"The Gift of Music." That is all.

by Sevenoneself Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:40 pm

The owner of the local Christian bookstore in my hometown (Swift Current, SK: pop. of 15,000 in the middle of the Canadian prairies) received some pushback from the church community when he brought a few copies of this album in. So he went home and listened to the whole thing with the lyrics, and recognized very quickly that it was a journey through Revelations. So he challenged one of his customers--who wanted to return the album b/c it was "unChristian"--to listen to it with his Bible open. As would be expected, the customer returned to apologize for the critique and kept the album.

This story does highlight how much has changed in Christian music in the last 30 years, and I think it's good growth. Gone are the days where this would happen or Phil Keaggy would be forced to include a Christian allegorical story with his instrumental album (The Master & The Musician).

by Sevenoneself Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:46 pm

Pethead wrote:
Sevenoneself wrote:
Pethead wrote:
Sevenoneself wrote:Thanks for everyone's input. The reason I asked is because this album has not aged well for me. I really like the style and the grandness but after awhile the songs all started to sound the same to me. I bought it in mid '90s when it was pretty new and pretty bold/innovative for Christian music. I'm going to spin it again with the aim to appreciate it as much as possible. If most of you are agreeing that it's a strong album it could be that I don't actually enjoy this genre as much as I think I do.
I mean, it's easily better than As the World Bleeds
"The Gift of Music." That is all.

Savior Machine Self-Titled Album - how does it stand up? 200

To be honest (and I don't think I've ever admitted it yet on the forum), it doesn't fit lyrically with the rest of the album or metal in general. Musically, there are a few genius sections in the song (I love Val's guitar solo). It should have probably been released as a single for die-hard fans as an "art"-power metal song. But I can't admit that on this forum, so pretend I never said this.

by Pethead Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:58 pm

Sevenoneself wrote:
Pethead wrote:
Sevenoneself wrote:
Pethead wrote:
Sevenoneself wrote:Thanks for everyone's input. The reason I asked is because this album has not aged well for me. I really like the style and the grandness but after awhile the songs all started to sound the same to me. I bought it in mid '90s when it was pretty new and pretty bold/innovative for Christian music. I'm going to spin it again with the aim to appreciate it as much as possible. If most of you are agreeing that it's a strong album it could be that I don't actually enjoy this genre as much as I think I do.
I mean, it's easily better than As the World Bleeds
"The Gift of Music." That is all.

To be honest (and I don't think I've ever admitted it yet on the forum), it doesn't fit lyrically with the rest of the album or metal in general. Musically, there are a few genius sections in the song (I love Val's guitar solo). It should have probably been released as a single for die-hard fans as an "art"-power metal song. But I can't admit that on this forum, so pretend I never said this.

There’s at least three of us here who don’t like it. So, take heart!

by Sevenoneself Thu Oct 13, 2022 1:06 pm

You and Kerrick, but who's the third? Wink

by eatbugs Thu Oct 13, 2022 1:09 pm

I agree with the majority. As a stand-alone, this is the best Saviour Machine album. I personally think it did age well (I listened to it just the other day). The Legend saga would have been the best ever if it had been finished. I did finally pick up the III:II "Bumblebee" just to hear how it would end, and even in that bootleg-raw form I can tell it would have been my favorite.

by Pethead Thu Oct 13, 2022 1:16 pm

Sevenoneself wrote:You and Kerrick, but who's the third?

I can’t divulge that information for the party’s personal safety.

by Constantine Thu Oct 13, 2022 2:02 pm

It's easily their best album and the most accessible one.
Not something I would listen to often but certainly a groundbreaking Christian metal album.
More artistic and poetic than most metal albums.

by Friday13th Thu Oct 13, 2022 3:09 pm

Sevenoneself wrote:You and Kerrick, but who's the third?

the devil

by Kerrick Thu Oct 13, 2022 3:49 pm

by Sevenoneself Thu Oct 13, 2022 4:03 pm

Kerrick wrote:

Kerrick, my mental picture of you is the devil with a big, wicked smile, as your avatar has been the present one since I joined the CMR!!

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