NO RETURN - Machinery
July 11, 2002, 22 years ago
(Nuclear Blast)
This well-regarded French institution is back with an album that throws a number of inviting curves. Firmly at the core of the band's sound is the modern traditional thrash of the comeback German bands (!). Indeed, No Return are somewhat of that grey matter, growing in (late) tandem, to the southwest, along with the likes of Rage, Coroner, Destruction, Kreator and Sodom. But there are also elements of speedy Swedish thrash, along with interesting electronic segues that reinforce the man and machine concept rifling through the record. In general, what you get is highly competent, perfectly recorded technical thrash with an added dimension, even if the main manifestation of this is the presence of fancy electronic intros which shortly will be blown up by Slayerized Crown blasts. Somehow the warmth of the band's last album, Self-Mutilation has been lost, but nevertheless, Machinery is a shockingly youthful spot of Scando-Germanic acceleration from a bunch of aged Frenchman.
