Interview with Machinemade God
(October 4th 2007)

 

First off would like to congratulate you on your new album “Masked”. I am pretty sure most of our readers do not know your background, so could you start by telling us a bit about you and your musical background?

Machinemade God We started in 2003 and wrote our first songs. Shows followed. In 2004 we recorded a demo and about a year later we got signed by Metal Blade Records. We released our debut CD in 2005 and played tons of shows and did some tours. About a year later we released “Masked” and here we are, ready to enter the world. 

How has the response been on ‘Masked’ and what kind of expectations do you have for it?

Machinemade GodWe were really excited this time, since Masked is different and might be pretty unexpected for those who knew our debut. But the response has been amazingly good, from the media as well as from our fans! We are really satisfied.

If you should choose one song, which represents the essence of Machinemade God on the album, which one would that be and why…

Machinemade God - That’s a hard one, cause the record is pretty diverse. I guess Forgiven is a pretty good song that has actually everything what you can find on the record. It’s fast, it’s epic, it features the orchestra and the clean vocals, and it has the guitar solo and is all in all a beautifully brutal song. 

If you should describe music to an absolute ignorant, what would you tell him/her?

Machinemade GodHeavy stuff that makes you wanna kill mixed with melodies that makes you wanna make love. I guess the middle is ruff sex than.

Let’s get into the album – where did you record it and who produced it and so on…

Machinemade God We recorded in different studios. The Instruments were all tracked at the “smart´n´hard-Studios” in Denmark. Jacob Brehdal did the engineering for us there. The vocals were all tracked at the “tonstudio –BE!” in cologne. Sky, our guitarist did the whole production for “Masked”. The mix was done by Daniel Klein at the Maarwegstudio1 in cologne.

Was the album completely written before entering the studio?

Machinemade GodYes, we did a pre-production for each single song, to be hundred percent ready when we entered the studio, to make sure that we can work effective and constantly while being in the recording process. We actually had two more songs that didn’t make it on the record. 

How important is the lyrically side of Machinemade God – and what has inspired you on the album?

Machinemade GodI wanted the lyrics to be more diverse than on the debut. “The Infinity Complex” was really personal according to the lyrics and almost one-sided. “Masked” has different topics, some personal stuff as well, but this time I went a bit further. A lot of songs deal with the problems in the society and politics or the way we treat the earth.

Tell us a bit about the album art work…

Machinemade God - The artwork was done by Magdalena Nowak. We wanted something darker and mystic looking. The Mask seemed perfect, cause you never know what’s behind a mask. You have to take it off and discover what’s behind it. Its way more than what you see in the first place. Same goes for our second album. If you have the first one, you might expect the same sound, but get proven wrong. There are so many details to discover.

Machinemade God, what’s the story behind it and is there some special anecdote behind?

Machinemade God – The Band name was already set when our ex-guitar player Holger started the band and kept looking for other members. It comes from the Latin “deus ex machina”, the god from the machine. That’s basically it.

What do you consider to be the biggest accomplishment for you and Machinemade God?

Machinemade God – Well, we already accomplished a lot within a really short time. We got a record deal with Metal Blade Records, released our second full-length, and played many good shows and really awesome festivals, like Summer Breeze for example. We were flown out to Turkey for the RockStation Festival, which was amazing and there’s so much more coming at us! We are really excited! 

What are the strengths and where can Machinemade God improve?

Machinemade God – We already improved a lot with this record compared to our debut. But you can always improve in certain things. I guess we will know that later, after the record is out for a while. 

What immediately tasks lay ahead of you, any touring plans?

Machinemade God - We play a lot of shows until the end of the year and played some amazing festivals like Summer Breeze Festival for example. We are already working on our tour plans for next year, cause I doubt that we get a decent tour for this year. All confirmed shows can be found on our website and our Myspace page. 

Let’s speculate – you have been granted a free slot on a tour of your own choice – who would be your ideal touring partners?

Machinemade GodI guess bands like As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, and Devil Driver would be a really good tour for us. 

Name an album, person or event that has had a huge influence on your life … and why?

Machinemade GodDay of Suffering – The eternal jihad actually made me turn vegan. A really important record is Jane Doe from Converge. I was really stoked when I heard that record for the time, the energy in the songs is intense! But I guess the most influence on me had the misfits. 

Give me your shot at some albums you’d rip for your iPod if you were to be sent to the MIR space station tonight.

Machinemade GodWell my IPod has 80GB and it’s full, so I was ready to hit the MIR right on the spot. Smiths and Morrissey, Maiden, Misfits and some Ambient Stuff definitely have to be on it. 

Which album(s) have put a big smile on your face and has made you bang your head in the past year?

Machinemade GodParkway Drive’s “Killing with a Smile” was amazing. Eve though it’s really nothing new it made me move like crazy! Ignite’s latest album was just killer! And the lost tracks of Danzig are absolutely rad! 

I thank you very much for participating in this interview and sharing this information and your thoughts with us - these last lines are entirely for you. Any final words you would like to round off with?

Machinemade GodThanks for the interview and thanks for reading this! We hope to see you around pretty soon at a show! Enjoy "Masked" and always support your scene! 

Interviewed by Kenn Jensen.

 

Machinemade God - Masked

Album available on Metal Blade Records.

For more info on Machinemade God - click on the album cover.