Review: 'Phase2' by The End Machine

Phase2

By Mike O’Cull

Brilliant hard rockers The End Machine return to keep the grind alive with the band’s sophomore album Phase2. Released April 9th, 2021 on Frontiers Music s.r.l., the record reunites members of high-flying 80s legends Dokken into another amazing rock and roll outfit with style, grace, and muscle to spare. Made up of Dokken members George Lynch (guitar) and Jeff Pilson (bass, keyboards and background vocals) paired with lead singer Robert Mason (Warrant, Lynch Mob) and drummer Steve Brown, the group takes this new set past the killer blues/rock that filled the first album and moves toward revitalizing the classic Dokken melodic metal sound. Created, overseen, and directed by Serafino Perugino, the President and A&R director of Frontiers Records, this is clearly a band meant for wowing stadium crowds the world over and giving a new lease on life to the very idea of rock music, itself.

Dokken, of course, was one of the most popular rock and metal bands of the 1980s. Formed and led by vocalist Don Dokken, the group sold more than ten million records between 1979 and 1989 on the strength of chart-busting singles like “Alone Again,” “In My Dreams,” and “Burning Like a Flame.” Dokken was also nominated for the first Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1989 for the live album Beast From The East. Guitarist George Lynch emerged as a bona fide guitar hero in those days, a status he’s maintained ever since. Often called Mr. Scary for his intimidating chops, Lynch is still one of the finest rock players in the game and has carved out a stellar reputation for himself as a musician who is always worth listening to.

Phase2 starts off with a cool atmospheric and dramatic interlude titled “The Rising” that gives your ears a little over a minute to get ready to jam and also delivers their first chance to feast on Lynch’s epic guitar tone. His sound is big, warm, and well-defined here and throughout the album and will make tone aficionados instantly take notice. This leads into the first full song “Blood And Money,” an uptempo blaster with a massive riff and an equally impressive chorus. Robert Mason is a mighty presence on the vocal mic and is a rock singer in the classic sense. Lynch unloads so much guitar firepower and sweet technique on this one that you’ll swear he hasn’t aged a day since his Golden Age on rock radio. Right away, you can tell this bunch is in it to win it all.

“We Walk Alone” is a fierce mid-speed track with a chugging groove and an indomitable spirit. Lynch gets all the way down on both lead and rhythm while Mason dominates the vocal and lyrics. It’s a physical, fist-pumping track that will grab you by the scruff and pull you into its orbit. “Dark Divide” sits on a textbook 80s rock pocket and light-to-heavy buildup before launching into a hit-single chorus with a socially relevant message. Mason’s voice is one of life’s perfect things and he shows us his entire range on this track. Drummer Steve Brown gives the song the stiff backbone it needs while Lynch once again makes his genius known. “Plastic Heroes,” “Scars,” and “Born Of Fire” are also worth some deep listening and will make you glad you took the time. The End Machine sounds more like a perpetual music machine on Phase2 and throws down riffs and melodies as well as any band ever has. True rockers take note: this one is aimed right at you.