At last, this album can be heard in the CIS as well. Why is it worth hearing? Because MACHINE MEN themselves won the title of Best Young Finnish Band of 2003 in their home country thanks to it. The Dynamic Arts label also made a considerable contribution. In addition to the album "Scars & Wounds" itself, the disc includes the band's eponymous single as a bonus, allowing you to trace the development of the group. While the "MACHINE MEN" EP was a carbon copy of IRON MAIDEN (and the Aces High cover was a "spot any differences" challenge), the debut album's music is already saturated with melodicism. And vocalist Andy, in my opinion, sings just a tiny bit less like Bruce Dickinson :) The sound has gotten softer and the song structures more interesting. Practically every track on the album is a hit, and after just one listen you'll be humming something. It might seem like there are too few songs — only 7 — but the duration of each track exceeds the standard 4-5 minute average. I was also very pleased by the stylish artwork in a white-and-brown palette (with white predominating).
The record, as I noted above, has been recognized not only by an army of fans but also by music critics, receiving a prestigious award — so what are you sitting here for instead of rushing to the store, I have no idea. Especially since the CIS version includes two releases at once!