Old Machines’ The Cycles of Extinction (August 22nd) is an arrival that feels less like a debut and more like a fully realised saga. Across eight tracks and an hour or so of music, the band constructs a sweeping narrative where civilizations rise and fall under the crushing weight of ancient machines and malevolent AI. It’s an audacious concept, and what makes the album good is not just its ambition, but its execution. It seamlessly fuses black, death, thrash, and power metal into something as cinematic as it is ferocious.
The record opens with “Twilight of the Old Gods, and the Dawning of the First Cycle” which immediately sets the tone with symphonic grandeur. Pipe organs and choirs give way to firestorm riffs by situating one in a galaxy already collapsing under the weight of its own mythology. The title track pushes this further by marrying mechanical intensity with a haunting orchestral backdrop that reinforces the idea of annihilation on a scale beyond human comprehension.
What elevates The Cycles of Extinction is its sense of pacing. After the massive sweep of early tracks, “Dark Space and Beyond” offers a moment of stillness before the saga surges forward again. “They Are Legion: The Tragic Exodus of the Veiled Creators” splits itself into two halves. The first conjures the destruction of a great metropolis, the second drifts into a mournful harpsichord passage that lingers like the remnants of a dying civilization. The variety is not for show. It serves the narrative while keeping one invested through shifts in mood and scale.
The performances are equally vital. Gary Reavis’ vocals move from commanding growls to theatrical narration, anchoring the story without overwhelming it. Jason Stares’ keyboards provide the album’s symphonic spine, while Brian Rush and Devon Miller’s guitars cut through with precision and menace. Joel Henigson’s bass and Chris Craven’s drumming keep the machinery of the record churning by making even the most elaborate arrangements feel grounded in raw power.
By the time “Glory to the Terrans of the First Contact War” closes the album, the story has cycled from collapse to triumph, ending on a triumphant surge that feels earned rather than forced. It’s not easy to create a concept album that balances narrative ambition with musical force, but Old Machines achieves that balance with striking clarity.
The Cycles of Extinction succeeds because it takes big risks with story driven metal, orchestral grandeur, and science fiction themes and it delivers them with precision and scale. For a debut, it doesn’t just promise a future, but it establishes Old Machines as a band already capable of building their own universe.
Artwork by Alexander Preuss
