Monster in the Machine: Butterfly Pinned

Helmed by Shannon Crawford (Cellophane) and supported by bassist Doug Arditio (Puddle of Mudd) and drummer Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle), Monster in the Machine employ the use of brooding distortion, ghost-like synth effects, and layered production to create something impressively bleak.

As the band’s haunting dreamscapes evoke sessions of hypnotherapy, it’s Crawford’s lyrical criticism that ultimately tries to snap listeners out of a social and cultural daze. With the vocal cadence of a 1980s David Bowie, Crawford’s best songs seek an escape away from what he sees to be “the illusion of our time.”

From the cleverly orchestrated “Helicopter” (imagine a weirder, darker side of Sgt. Pepper) to the stringed slinking on “Shut the Door,” Crawford draws attention to the mess within our modern values.

– Mike Hilleary