End Program

An unusual blend of old school New York hardcore and crust metal, The Machines Are Only Human is an inspired blast of unbridled aggression. Delivering its wallop from the first note of opener "Polarbeard” and relentlessly hammering away through the ensuing 13 tracks, the vitriol and power put forth by End Program hearken back to the days of Minor Threat’s incensed, more direct moments, Sick Of It All’s roaring rhythms and D.R.I.’s redlining speed. Augmented by lumbering breakdowns and anthemic chant-along bridges and choruses before striking out with wired double-time endings, each song feels like a dirty freight train barrelling out of control. Even the modest production values only serve to intensify the chaotic essence that permeates this formidable effort.