The album is also shorter than has been typical for the band of late, with the nine songs here clocking in at a relatively compact 51 minutes. It opens with Deliver Us from Evil, which does not really stand on ceremony at all. A snappy guitar riff and some trademark layered vocals from Kürsch open the track, before some fast-paced double bass drumming from Frederik Ehmke kick in - and the song becomes a speed metal anthem akin to many of the band's older classics. Their recent approach to melody has been retained, though, and Kürsch's vocal lines are similarly epic to how they have generally been of late - despite the more stripped-back arrangements. His vocals add a real majesty to the song's fast verses - whilst the chorus sees the pace slow somewhat and the keyboards take on a bit more of a prominent role. I like the fact that the symphonics and choirs are still here, even if they are used a bit more sparingly this time. The song's chorus sounds huge as a result, with some subtle guitar leads adding additional melodies, whilst a lengthy guitar solo from Olbrich showcases why he is one of the most underrated lead players in metal. Another thing to note is the retention of the band's classic guitar tone. The tone of Olbrich and Siepen has pretty much been the same from their first album, and they are a guitar duo that really cannot be mistaken for anyone else. The riffing here could only come from them - and with Kürsch's heroic chorus vocals the song is a perfect intro for this heavy album. Damnation, co-written by producer Charlie Bauerfeind and session keyboardist Tommy Geiger (Painamp), is more of a mid-paced hard rocker that focuses less on the band's speed metal beginnings and instead goes for something akin to their late 1990s sound. There are faster sections, which again see Ehmke laying into his kick drums, but generally this is more of a creeping track with lots of knotty lead playing from Olbrich and a grittier vocal performance from Kürsch. The choir is generally used a bit less here, although they still lend a hand during the chorus - which is a bit more cinematic in scope with Geiger's keyboards taking on a more prominent role. The band's regular session keyboardist Michael Schüren was not involved in this album, although he still tours with them - with Geiger instead handling the vast majority of the keyboards this time. Damnation is much more of a guitar-heavy piece, though, and its driving riffing makes it a fun track. A real highlight here for me, though, is the lengthier Secrets of the American Gods. The song is definitely the most symphonic and progressive cut here, and sounds more like the material on the band's recent albums. It is generally mid-paced and cinematic in scope, with keyboards filling every gap in the mix, whilst Kürsch's vocal lines are dramatic and theatrical - with the more melodic side of his voice on show. The chorus is one of the album's best in my opinion, thanks to its soaring melodies, but the whole song pushes the album's limits - with lots of slow-burning lead breaks for Olbrich, which eventually culminate in a lengthy solo that is packed with melody. The symphonics from the last few albums are back here in a big way, too, there are sections which are significantly elevated by the orchestrations - but there is less focus on big riffing as a result. The guitars are more rhythmic this time, but this allows the keyboards and symphonics to shine - and the track is a real showcase for Kürsch due to how it places his vocals at the fore.
Violent Shadows is almost the antitheses of Secrets of the American Gods, though, and returns to more of a speed metal approach - akin to the opening cut Deliver Us from Evil. The song opens with fast-paced guitar, before Ehmke's drums kick in and the song speeds off into much thrashier territory. As is typical for Blind Guardian, though, the song is fairly dynamic - and it is not content to just operate as a pure thrasher. There are more mid-paced moments, backed by strident riffing and the occasional flash of a more atmospheric sound, but generally the song has a real crunch to it. The classic Blind Guardian guitar tone is on full display throughout, giving it a real edge, whilst Kürsch's voice is definitely grittier than it has generally been of late - harking back to the band's earlier albums. Kürsch is a vocalist that never seems to age, and he sounds as good on this album as he ever has. He can be shift from a more melodic approach to something heavier with ease - and this track generally sees him operating in the latter category, with even the chorus sounding pretty aggressive. The ending section of the song sees perhaps his most unhinged vocals on the album, too, and it closes things out in a powerful way. Life Beyond the Spheres is another song that is more epic in scope, and the symphonics and progressive side of the band are on show again here. Joost van den Broek (Sun Caged; After Forever), who also mixed the album, plays the keyboards on this one - and his playing is quite prominent throughout, although he generally adds depth and atmosphere rather than anything more overtly melodic. The choppy guitar leads of Olbrich form the main melodic hooks, whilst the verses are fairly downbeat and pounding - with the bass playing of former touring bassist Barend Courbois quite high in the mix. The verses here sound quite different for Blind Guardian. A bass-heavy sound is not typical for them, and there is a slight gothic edge thanks to van den Broek's keyboards. The chorus is very much typical of the band's more recent albums, though, and it is another huge cinematic moment with lots of choral vocals and a theatrical performance from Kürsch. Another lengthy solo section from Olbrich adds further to the song's progressive vibe - and the song overall is one that helps to break up the overall heaviness of the album and show that the band still want to create symphonic music as well as returning more to the their roots. Architects of Doom is very much a return to their roots, though, and the song is another fast-paced speed metal anthem with a general lack of a keyboards and a huge focus on the guitar interplay of Olbrich and Siepen. Olbrich is generally gets the attention in the context of Blind Guardian, despite my view that he is generally an underrated player, but Siepen is key to the band's sound. His rhythm playing is what allows Blind Guardian to sound as big and chunky as they do, and his tight riffing gives Olbrich the freedom to create his orchestral guitar leads and solos atop a rock solid base. This is a song that really showcases such interplay - and it is very much a song for those who love chunky speed metal riffing, even if the chorus is still packed with strong vocal hooks.
Let It Be No More opens slowly, with some clean guitar melodies, and after all the heaviness that has come before on the album the presence of a classic Blind Guardian ballad is welcome. It is not as stripped-back and bard-like as some of their ballads, but the slow-burning song allows for a more atmospheric sound overall. The chiming guitars of Olbrich and Siepen form a delicate backing for Kürsch's more reflective vocal performance - whilst the rhythm section of Ehmke and Courbois create a percussive and slow-burning groove. The chorus is somewhat heavier, but it is not truly heavy - it just has a fuller sound with some bigger guitars and a larger vocal arrangement thanks to the presence of the choir. Unsurprisingly, too, the orchestrations and keyboards have a bigger role to play here - and the song still sounds huge despite it generally being a slow-burner. Olbrich's solo is suitably melodic, too, and the song is a great change of pace in the context of a pretty heavy album. The band have always excelled at ballads, and this is another strong addition to that side of their sound. Blood of the Elves gets back to the album's core sound, though, with a hard-driving speed metal sound and some abrasive riffing from the off. There is little let up throughout, and the song generally retains its fast pace. Even the chorus is pretty fast, and the band's usual trope of slowing things down to allow for a more epic sound is not really implemented here. There are occasional slower sections in the build up to the chorus - but these are still pretty fast in the grand scheme of things, with Ehmke's drumming still being pretty furious. The chorus has a very old-school feel to it, then, thanks to its pace - but it still allows Kürsch to shine with some hooky melodies, and Olbrich's guitar solo is one of the album's fastest and most shred-centric. The album then comes to a close with Destiny, a track which is generally more mid-paced and seems to attempt to fuse the different sounds found throughout the album together. It is less symphonic than some of the longer pieces here, but there is a progressive feel throughout thanks to its arrangement. There are more low key moments that feature Kürsch's voice against a stripped-back musical backing, whereas other sections feature strident mid-paced riffing. It is generally less heavy than most of the other songs here, and as such harks back somewhat to the band's recent albums. That being said, though, it is more guitar-centric. The riffing throughout is still typical of the rest of the album, just less thrashy, and there are strong classic rock vibes during parts of the song. Despite the progressive approach, though, it is probably the least-interesting song here. Parts of the song really work, whilst other sections are less hooky - and it seems to be caught between a few different camps, and it is not sure what type of song it wants to be. It does leave the album hanging somewhat at the end, then, but the overall quality of what came before does not allow one weaker cut to have much of a negative impact. Overall, for me, The God Machine is another very strong album from the band. Whilst I like their more progressive recent work, this trip back to the past is welcome - and the heaviness of the album overall makes it a winner. There are still lots of hooks throughout, though, and I feel that many of these songs will work live when it is toured. There is an awful lot to like here, and it is an album that I will be getting plenty out of over the coming months.
The album was released on 2nd September 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Deliver Us from Evil.
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