The Machine (RIOT)

Six years after their critically acclaimed debut album "Dogma Resistance", a conceptual brostep project that took the bass music world by storm, RIOT return for round two.

"The Machine" is, by any measure, the definitive sequel to their debut. And it definitely tries to play the same cards, too, opening up with that cheesy news-reporter-esque narrator and following it up with a crushing, destructive firing of bass on all cylinders. Indeed, the first half of "The Machine" is very well-done — the apocalypse themeing suits even this new era of RIOT well, a sound that's less focused on the tumultuous maximalism of brostep and more focused on the stomping basses of briddim, like the explosions of weapons and the firing of guns — a violent rave spectacle to accompany a violent world-ending spectacle. There's certainly more variety here than there is in "Dogma Resistance", too, as this album sees RIOT delve deeper into genres like breaks, techno, and drum n bass in tracks like "Everynight". And, with a sleek concept to match, "The Machine" sets itself up as a strong album and a worthy successor. Unfortunately for it, though, this review doesn't quite end there. There's a certain irony to the pros and cons of this album, because when you weigh it all up and set it all down on the table, one clear thing sticks out. Yes — the biggest flaw of "The Machine" is simply that "Dogma Resistance" already existed. Why is that a problem? Because, instead of blossoming into its own beautifully belligerent mess of a record, "The Machine" tries far too hard to live up to its predecessor. The truth is: "Metalicious" is good, but it'll never be as good as "Overkill"; "Slide" is a funky bonus track, but nowhere near as iconic as "Take That"; "Click Clack", or "Nebula", or "Alien Threat" all don't quite achieve the same cohesive respect as "Jungle Fury", or "Aiwa", or "The Mob" did. When you consider that the remaining tracks, though fun, feel as if they contribute very little to the album's storyline, it's safe to say that this album is a failed attempt at regaining the fire that had made RIOT's debut album such a blast. But it's not all doom and gloom — "The Machine" is still a good album in its own right. Even whilst trying so hard to be another album altogether, some of the storytelling works well, and many of these tracks feel more technical than those in "Dogma Resistance" — perhaps it's simply the standards of the modern scene being different, but RIOT's style feels somehow more mature, even at the cost of the vicious, frenzied production that "Dogma Resistance" had rocked.

So yes, "The Machine" isn't quite the worthy sequel of "Dogma Resistance" — more like its little brother. But that little brother will, I'm sure, grow up to be quite the record, and though it's nothing in the vast shadow cast by its elder sibling, RIOT continue to show us why they're the best apocalyptic dubstep act in the game, even after all these years. I know, I've dogged on the comparison a little hard, but this album is still worth your time.