On Febuary 29, 2000 "The Smashing Pumpkins" released their fifth studio album "Machina/The Machines of God".
By the time "Machina/The Machines of God" was released in February 2000, "The Smashing Pumpkins" were already standing at a crossroads. The alternative rock landscape they had helped shape in the early ‘90s had shifted dramatically, their previous album "Adore" from 1998 had polarized fans, and internal conflicts were mounting. The album marked the return of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, Billed as a return to the band’s heavier, guitar-driven sound, "Machina" also ended up being the last studio album of their original era, as the band disbanded at the end of the year.
Originally envisioned as a double concept album, the story "Machina" was conceived revolving around a rock star named Zero (based on the public persona of Corgan) hearing the voice of God, renaming himself Glass, and renaming his band "The Machines of God". Fans of the band were referred to as the "Ghost Children". "Machina" tells the cryptic story of "Glass" and his journey through fame and spirituality. However, due to "Adore's" disappointing sells, "Virgin Records" refused to release the full project, leading to "Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music" being independently distributed by the band later in 2000. This disjointed rollout left "Machina" feeling incomplete, though fans have since pieced together the larger narrative through bootlegs and online discussions.
Unlike the subdued electronic textures of "Adore", "Machina" attempts to recapture the grandeur of "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" as a concept album, while incorporating a dense, processed, and sometimes claustrophobic sound. According to Corgan, the album was structured so that the first eight tracks would be "more poppy", and the last seven "more arty".
In general, the album leans heavily on layered guitars, yet with a colder, more industrial aesthetic compared to their earlier work. Songs like "The Everlasting Gaze" and "Heavy Metal Machine" showcase Billy Corgan’s love for distortion, while tracks like "Raindrops + Sunshowers" and "Stand Inside Your Love" retain the band’s signature melodic sensibility amid the sonic haze.
One of "Machina’s" strongest moments is "Stand Inside Your Love," a soaring, cinematic love song that harks back to the "Pumpkins’" golden era. "Try, Try, Try" is another standout, blending pop melodies reminiscent of "The Cure" with melancholic lyricism, while "This Time" feels like a poignant farewell to the band’s classic lineup and indeed Corgan described it as: "my love song to the band".
Tracks like "Glass and the Ghost Children" and "Blue Skies Bring Tears" meander into lengthy, abstract, almost psychedelic, passages that weigh down the momentum. The production, handled by Corgan and Flood, also contributes to the album’s divisiveness, as the dense layering can make the music feel overwhelming rather than immersive. Flood later remembered that he and the band decided to make a very different kind of record.
Though it lacks the cultural impact of "Siamese Dream" or "Mellon Collie", "Machina" remains an ambitious and often misunderstood album. Some fans see it as a flawed masterpiece, while others view it as a bloated attempt to reclaim past glory. In retrospect, it serves as an intriguing swan song for the band’s original run—a mix of artistic ambition, record label frustration, and creative excess.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music
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