Insensate Machine originated in 1993 when Billy Davis came up with the concept of recording a heavy metal concept album based on the War of the Worlds 1938 radio show. Several demos were created and rewritten over the years but stayed on the backburner as other projects took precedence. In early 2021, the world opened up a lot of free time, so Billy completed writing the album with the intent of hiring musicians to make it strictly a recording project.
Billy states: “I always imagined the music to have cool thrash riffs in a progressive but aggressive style. That and a “Carl Palmer-style” drummer who was capable of fast but stylish drum fills, a double kick and able to play off-time and tempo changes cleanly would complement the riff-based music.”
That drummer was Jamie Baldassano who had 30 years of experience of playing in rock and metal bands. Jamie and Billy reworked the arrangements from the demos and started rehearsing the songs as they would be played live. At this point it gelled so well, Insensate Machine was not just a recording project but was becoming a band.
In January 2022, drum tracks for the album were recorded by Mick James at Beneath the Sun Recording studios in Hicksville NY. By summer 2022, John Smith of Dungeon studios in Northport NY took the tracks and began working with Billy on laying in all the rest of the instrumentation and vocals.
In the next 8 months, many mixes were made, experimental sounds added, sounds swapped in and out, as the recording came together. John Smith spent countless hours, and over a thousand listens to refine the EQ and mix to what we have today.
During the recording process, other pieces of the live band still needed to be put in place. Billy and Jamie were fortunate enough to find Patrick Foote, a bass player from Steel Reign with many years of experience who fit in perfectly with the band playing bass and background vocals. He started working with the band in rehearsals and got in on the album at the tail-end.
The lead guitar position was difficult to fill, guest guitarists played the leads on the album. First was Dan “Chewy” Mongrain of the legendary progressive metal band Voivod. He played solos on the songs “The Quiets of Space” and “War of the Worlds.” Long Island session man Kirk Passamonti played on “Insensate Machine” and “Can’t We Live.” Leo Bakman of the bands Show No Mercy and Immortal Suffering played on “Interplanetary Immunity.” Gil Vives from Show No Mercy and Final Seige played on “Cylinder.”
In April of 2023 the album went to Vincent LaRussa Mastering and then a deal with Outer Space Records for pressing and distribution. The June, 2023 CD release of War of the Worlds features a 16 Page booklet including lyrics and hand painted artwork by Billy Davis. “I always had images in my head when listening to the Radio show as a kid of what these scenes looked like. So, I just had to put them down on canvas in the last few years, so they became the artwork.” Later in the year a vinyl version of the album will be released.
In the lead up to the release of the album, social media platforms have been set up as well as the website to promote the band by Social Media Director, Lesah Smith.
Insensate Machine has released two music videos. One for “The Quiets of Space” in old school B&W and “Insensate Machine’ in full color. Next look for Insensate Machine out on tour bringing “The War of the Worlds” to the world.
