Machines Dream – it wasn’t supposed to be a band!
Lead vocalist Craig West will tell you that the reward for being in Machines Dream is simply getting together and making music in a rehearsal studio.
The rest is all a bonus.
Machines Dream began as five guys getting together a few times a week to jam, to improvise and follow their hearts musically. Those jams and ideas resulted in songs, which led to recording and – in March 2012 – the self-titled debut was released.
The album is a collection of progressive rock songs with a scope both atmospheric and cinematic that embraces tales of mental illness, alienation, communication and the need to find safe haven in a destructive world.
It’s easy to see the lineage of Machines Dream. The members listened to groups like Pink Floyd, Genesis, Marillion, King Crimson, Porcupine Tree and Tool and those influences are recognizably referenced in their own music.
However, this was just the starting point. The goal for Machines Dream is to compose new music, experiment with original sounds and create meaningful songs that are more than just a tribute to the prog bands of yesterday. Machines Dream want to build on the progressive music they enjoy, reflecting it, not treating it like dogma and moving it forward.
The decision was made to put their debut album ‘out there’ as a free download so as many people as possible would hear it and – if liking what they heard – making a donation or buying a physical copy. However, the overall aim – as it is for any emergent band – was awareness and judging whether or not there was an audience for their style of music.
The response was overwhelmingly positive! The band were signed to Sonic Vista – a UK record label based in Blackpool – and the album stayed at the top of the Aurovine (digital music distribution) download charts with a six month stint at Number 1.
In 2013 the group began work on a follow-up and the result is Immunity – an album due for release in late October/early November 2014 – an album of just 5 songs including an epic title track – an album made by accomplished musicians and accomplished human beings – an album that is – in every sense – progressive.
Immunity is not a concept album, but it is thematic. The songs on the album speak to the dark side of media, infotainment and information overload, and the desire to escape the reality that creates.
The appointment of a manager in July 2014 saw the development of plans to promote the music to as many people as possible – in as many ways as possible – working with the new social media tools – collaborating with other individual artists and musicians – with the end goal of making Machines Dream a viable recording and live proposition.
The early results were very encouraging with increasing plays on specialist Internet radio stations that meet the huge demand for Progressive Rock bringing world-wide interest in – and a growing audience for – Machines Dream.
This culminated in the successful release of a 3rd album called Black Science in June 2017 to commercial/critical success.
But here’s the thing that makes them different …
… the reward for being in Machines Dream remains simply getting together and making music in a rehearsal studio.
All the rest is still just a bonus.
Website: http://machinesdream.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MachinesDream/