Crossbone Skully’s Evil World Machine Delivers an Electrifying Dystopian Saga

Review By Glen

Evil World Machine, the debut album from rising rock outfit Crossbone Skully, lands on November 22, 2024, via Better Noise Music, and it’s a bold concept album that’s as ambitious as it is thrilling. Fronted by Tommy Henriksen—guitarist for Alice Cooper’s band and Hollywood Vampires—alongside guitarist Anna Cara, Crossbone Skully introduces listeners to a cosmic antihero with an epic mission: to reconnect with his lost love, Piper, and his son, Kyd, while grappling with the gritty reality of an “evil world machine.”

The album’s standout tracks include “Money, Sex, or God,” a gritty anthem that dives into society’s most consuming obsessions. Henriksen’s rugged vocals and Cara’s fierce guitar riffs make this track a hard-hitting commentary that’s both thought-provoking and wildly engaging. Then there’s “I Am The Wolf,” a hauntingly raw track that introduces Skully as an avenging, lone-wolf figure, complete with howling vocals and a powerful, driving beat that makes it unforgettable.

The star-studded features add extra rock royalty to the mix, with “The Boom Went The Boom” featuring Def Leppard’s Phil Collen, whose legendary guitar style brings an added punch. Nikki Sixx also appears on “High On You,” a fast-paced anthem brimming with rock bravado and deep-rooted energy. These collaborations amplify the album’s relentless drive, making for an engaging, varied listening experience.

Conceptually, Evil World Machine echoes dystopian epics like Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and Diamond Dogs, but Henriksen and Cara infuse it with a gritty edge uniquely their own. Tracks like “Everyone’s on Dope” and “The Sin Eater” challenge listeners to confront the darker aspects of modern existence, while the closing track, “Misfits of the Universe,” is a triumphant anthem for outsiders everywhere, bringing the album to a resounding, rebellious close.

With Henriksen’s sharp storytelling and Cara’s intricate guitar work, Evil World Machine is a full-bodied concept album that successfully merges high-energy rock with a sci-fi saga. Crossbone Skully has crafted an album that feels both timely and timeless, exploring dark themes with enough rock power to keep audiences engaged from start to finish. For fans of dystopian rock operas and raw, no-holds-barred storytelling, Evil World Machine is an album that promises to captivate and linger long after the last track fades.