i'm a big fan of those two albums so when adore came out, i was one of those who were surprised not exactly in a good way, but since there was a context on it, i looked at the beauty of that album in its own merits and i let it pass. now come machina...well jimmy's back and i guess billy's issues won't haunt him forever so i kinda expected something in the same light of siamese dream or MCIS, but no. it wasn't, unfortunately. faint traces are there but nothing will give you the impression that this is the band which came out with disarm, or mayonnaise, or spaceboy, or BWBW, or 1979. the theme is different (which is a good thing) but so was the style (a not so good thing). don't get me wrong though, i don't want a stagnant SP. but the sound is different and that turned me off. it's like walking up one day and your lover started acting like a different person. well technically she's the same person, but she's no longer the person that you adore. and that will kill things. (it's not the most brilliant analogy, i know, but i hope it served its purpose)

that said, i don't necessarily dismiss the beauty of this album. judging by its OWN merits, i'd say this is a good album. not great, just good. the everlasting gaze is a good song. it has some of those faint traces which i spoke of earlier. raindrops + sunshowers is acrually good. and even better when played at max volume in a surround sound system. stand inside your love was beautifully written. the perfect love song (well next to ava adore). i of the mourning could actually pass for a good pop song in my opinion, but not necessarily as a SP song (i mean that of the siamese dream/MCIS). the sacred and profane is okay i guess. try, try, try is the same as i of the mourning and a little cheesey if you ask me. as for heavy metal machine, i prefer the machina II version. this time, ughh...i don't know what to make of it. an introduction to zwan perhaps or a reaffirmation that the old sp is gone (the first one was the whole adore album). the imploding voice has some nice riffs. glass and the ghost children and wound are also good songs. the crying tree of mercury can be lagging in a good way and i like it. with every light kinda reminds me of lily from MCIS. sometimes i think squirrels and birds will come to me if i play it loud in the park. don't get me wrong, it's a nice song, you just have to pick the right mood to play it or else you'll just end up being pissed. for blue skies bring tears, i like its electrique version in machina II better, oh and because "electrique" is fun to say. age of innocence has a very catchy sound and the bass is just right.

all in all, i think this is a good album and not their best (that of which is reserved to siamese dream, MCIS, and gish as of yet)