Machina Kore - Ghosts of Everest

Angry Metal Guy

Identified as “Groovy Power Metal” in our promo bin, Irish independents Machina Kore promise something that pushes past genre convention while still delivering high-octane, high-quality steel. With their latest release, entitled Ghosts of Everest, Machina Kore offer up ten tracks (two of which are remasters of earlier single releases) across roughly an hour—fairly standard if we use power metal as a baseline. Thematically, Ghosts of Everest tackle an emotional subject matter largely surrounding the highs and lows of life as brought on by both forces beyond control and our own actions/reactions, and of resilience and growth only ever manifested by perseverance. The question remains, would a release like Ghosts of Everest persevere in the midst of a crowded field of steely wares?

One thing is for certain: Machina Kore is not your standard power metal record, and claims of groove earn more than their keep. In fact, Ghosts of Everest is more groove than power, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The power of riffs is strong with this one, bolstered further by uncharacteristically meaty guitar and bass tones which approach death metal or sludge in crunch and heft. However, song structure and arrangement more closely follow the blueprint of riffy power metal innovated by Nevermore, after a lurid dalliance with alternative names like Sevendust¹ and Nonpoint. A sense of grandeur not unlike Borealis runs through many of these numbers as well, contributing to the 5-7 minute average song length and winding choruses. Altogether, the experience is an unusual mix that took some getting used to, but there’s merit to Machina Kore’s execution here that proves Ghosts of Everest’s concept holds water.

Ghosts of Everest offers many cool moments, often separated by wide swaths of material that range from decently engaging to meandering. Its first three songs proper (excluding the overlong, but gentle into “Silver”) offer the best encapsulation of Machina Kore’s sound when it works best. Swaggering grooves, tectonic riffs, and serviceable choruses allow these tracks to strike while the iron is hot, impressing upon its audience its unorthodox sound and generous helping of crushing guitars. And while those heavily distorted guitars shine throughout, it’s not until the meat of the record that they make their biggest impact. A massive one-two punch, “Goliath” and “Death Mask” offer energetic grooves, thunderous tones, and dynamic shifts in style and structure. Nonetheless, they feel unified with the material surrounding them, which allows for smooth transitions in and out. In a different way, epic closer “Ghosts of Everest” makes a mark as well; this time, striking use of melody cooperates with the album’s finest vocal display to exit on a powerful note capable of selling listeners on a follow-up spin.

Unfortunately, those aforementioned swaths of meandering material conspire to unravel immersion and redirect to boredom. Every song preceding “Goliath”—and several afterwards—opens with at least a minute and a half of repetitive jamming. While they do a great job of creating an initial burst of momentum, inertia gets the best of them quickly, coming close to a standstill before finally hitting the gas again. This problem persists in bouts across Ghosts of Everest, with wandering numbers “Alpha Luna” and “Breathe” offering some decent to very good ideas every now and then, only to be undone by long stretches of composition unsure of its direction or purpose. The occasional guitar solo alleviates this problem to some degree, in concert with some clever drumming (this is primarily what helps “Death Mask” stand out, in fact). Alas, it’s not quite enough to carry 6 minutes plus of uninspired material. As a final note, the albeit competent post-grunge vocals aren’t always the best fit for this sound (“Stone to Farewell”), with the one caveat that they often inspire a fair measure of nostalgia (“Sober”).

All that said, Machina Kore has a ton of potential, and it wouldn’t be too difficult for them to realize it. Their biggest hurdle going forward is one of writing and of editing, wherein songs need tightening, streamlining, and focusing. All of the right elements are there, from tone to riffcraft to the unlikely melding of disparate styles. They just don’t quite gel into a final product that feels greater than the sum of its parts yet. With time and a little perseverance, I’ve no doubt that Machina Kore can bring me to the peak next time around.



Rating: Mixed
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: STREAM ²
Label: Self-Release
Websites: machinakore.bandcamp.com/album/ghosts-of-everest | facebook.com/MachinaKore
Releases Worldwide: July 25th, 2025

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