ALBUM REVIEW: Panic Machine – Gold Key
GOLD KEY are back with their sublime follow up to 2017’s Hello, Phantom entitled Panic Machine. Self-released on guitarist Laurent Barnard’s Venn Records, and recorded in a prototype form of self-isolation, completely off-grid in Arthog, Gwynedd on the coast of North Wales. They also attempted to collect the feeling of being completely isolated from the world within the album, and it is clear that they have crafted something that is bleak and beautiful. Those feelings of isolation are something that everyone can relate to know in this upside-down world of COVID-19, and what better album to see you through this period of enforced isolation than one that truly understands that feeling, and was recorded in self-isolation before we even knew what self-isolation was – in a way here GOLD KEY almost morbidly predicted the future.
Panic Machine deals with some heavy issues apart from isolation, including love and loss, alienation and dislocation, feat, hurt, loneliness. Envy, environmental destruction and the pitfalls of human existence. Sears views this record as being a conduit for “some exorcising of demons.” The darkness behind the album was influenced by the first song to be written by the band; Mechanical World. It is musically a very complex song with lots of intricate pieces, which reflect the lyrics that Sears says are “about feeling suffocated by the world,” referring to the artificial world created by social media. This really demonstrates the overarching bleakness running through the album, and understanding that this was the beginning of their writing project helps piece the rest of the album together as a whole stemming from Mechanical World. The introspective nature of this track is also a key theme, as the falsity of social media is something which the lyrics admit the band contribute too as well – as part of the problem how can they hope to find a solution?
And while it may be a dark album, it is not without hope, as Sears closes with a message of hope. Even musically, there is beauty in the despair; just listen to album closer The Best of Luck for an example. Yes it is dark, but there is hope even in the name of the song – wishing the listener future luck in this wild world we live in, while the lyrics suggest an unseen force or person is in the process of taking over. The amount of influences on this record are astounding, with BARONESS and PINK FLOYD being touted as examples, however the most obvious standout is the QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE inspired track Don’t Sleep that could easily have been a part of Songs for the Deaf or Rated R and no one would’ve noticed the difference.
Those looking for similarities to any of the quartets other bands – which include legendary British acts such as GALLOWS, KROKODIL, SIKTH, SPY CATCHER, and BLACKHOLE – will be disappointed, as GOLD KEY are clearly a melting pot of the group’s musical tastes. They are clear, however, that this is no mere side-project. Listening to the album it is obvious that this is something that has their full focus. From the very introduction it is entrancing, and clear that GOLD KEY have put in the hours into the tiny minutiae to make this one of the strongest rock albums in recent years.
This will be an album that requires time and requires the listener to put as much in as they want to get out of it. Sear’s incredible vocals are the cornerstone around which this album functions, and while it is musically excellent it is his unique style that makes this into something special. Do yourself a favour, take an hour to just sit down and fully appreciate Panic Machine in its entirety. This is not something to just have in the background, but rather an album for fully immersing yourself in. Give Panic Machine your time and you will be well rewarded for it.
Rating: 9/10
Panic Machine is set for release on May 1st via Venn Records.
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