Jesusfreakhideout.com celebrates 30 Years online in 2026... Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!
Jesusfreakhideout.com celebrates 30 Years online in 2026... Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Music Review


Training for Utopia
Throwing a Wrench Into the American Music Machine



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 10 tracks: 40 minutes
Street Date: November 2, 1999


 
ThrowingaWrenchIntotheAmericanMusicMachine
READER RATING:  ThrowingaWrenchIntotheAmericanMusicMachine
/ 5.0 (0 votes)

What a thoroughly unconventional album! If I were to tell you that Ryan and Don Clark (of Demon Hunter fame) had released a hardcore album with disjointed flourishes of progressive rock (seen in the vocal effects, samples, techno noises, and looped beats) you probably still wouldn't be ready for the bizarre chaos that this project is. This is probably the weirdest hardcore/metalcore album I have ever listened to. And by weirdest, I am referring to every part of this album: the music style, lyrics, album title, album cover, and even the song titles.

The album opens with "50,000 Screaming TFU Fans Can't Be Wrong," which seems to be a song about wrestling with the rock and roll industry and rebelling against the unconventional. Much of this album reminds me of Showbread's "Sampsa Meets Kafka" in the minimal amount of lyrics, but, unlike the aforementioned song, having much longer or heavily repeated musical interludes. Despite this, there are some standout moments on the album. "Burt Reynolds v. Godzilla 1999" has some slow, calm musical repetitions and some clean vocals. "Everything Including the Stars is Falling (Baby)" is a completely random acoustic ballad that doesn't fit the album in any musical sense. "Dead Signal 2000" is heavily influenced by a repeated rap beat.

While this album is quite an interesting listen, and one that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the unconventional, Throwing a Wrench Into the American Music Machine doesn't really come together that well. The lyrics are difficult to interpret, the music seems to have very little rhyme or reason to its arrangement, and the vocals seem to be a combination of autotune and sloppy recording. Regardless, the band seems quite aware of how ridiculous this album is and that vibe (along with my penchant for any weird music stylings) keeps me coming back to this record, and may have you enjoying it as well.

JFH Reader Review: Review date: 6/9/22, written by Gavin Rodgers for Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Get a FREE month of VidAngel on us when you sign up!

 

Record Label: Solid State Records
Album length: 10 tracks: 40 minutes
Street Date: November 2, 1999
Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. 50,000 Screaming Tfu Fans Can't Be Wrong (5:40)
  2. White Boy's Burden (2:54)
  3. The State of Wyoming Is Worthless (0:45)
  4. Burt Reynolds vs. Godzilla (5:09)
  5. Tennessee Midget (4:07)
  6. Everything, Including the Stars, Is Falling (Baby) (4:13)
  7. New York City Is Overrated (5:29)
  8. Dead Signal 2000 (4:35)
  9. The Art of Killing a Copy Machine (2:57)
  10. Seeing-Eye Fruit Bat (4:33)

 

 

 



 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Get a FREE month of VidAngel on us when you sign up!

Search JFH



This Wednesday, March 4, 2026
SINGLES
1K Phew Havin - Single [Reach]

This Friday, March 6, 2026
ALBUMS
Autumn Owls Here in the Bardos (independent)
Michael Bethany Sanctuary [Re:Think/Capitol CMG]
Falling Up Reimagined Volume I (independent)
Passion Just That Good [Capitol CMG]
Woodlands Worship In The Meantime [Wings]

SINGLES
Altira Black Hole - Single [The Fuel]
Mark Bishop You Better Go Read It - Single [Sonlite]
Chris Caro Lately - Single [Syntax]
Engedi Music Resurrection Saves - Single (independent)
Grace + Max Better Place - Single [WieRok]
I.A.N. & Joel Gibson Jr. Good Times - Single [Syntax]
IDEGO SHOCKING! - Single (independent)
Jericko Let You In ft. No Vain Glory - Single [Syntax]
Jenn Johnson Walk With Me (feat. Tiffany Hudson) - Single [Bethel]
KELO & DreBeezeDaGodSon FORGIVE ME - Single [Syntax]
Living Again Let Me Be Yours - Single [Near Kingdom Records]
Alicia Monee' & EJ Swavv `Metallic - Single [Syntax]
Jeannie Ortega Woozy - Single [Syntax]
Alexander Pappas It Is So Sweet (feat. Chelsea Plank) - Single [Integrity]
Tommee Profitt Nothing But the Blood "(feat. Jeremy Rosado) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Red Rocks Worship The Lord Is With Me (feat. Chris Brown) - Single [Provident/Sony]
Xander Sallows it's been a while - Single [Ocean House]
tonyxtrotter OUTTA THE WAY ft. Q-Flo - Single [Syntax]
Anne Wilson Still Do (feat. Cole Swindell) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Wilson Fairchild I Saw The Light - Single [Gaither]

Next Monday, March 9, 2026
ALBUMS
DPB Undefeated [MTS]

Next Friday, March 13, 2026
ALBUMS
Pat Barrett Break Open (Live) [Capitol CMG]
Tomb Slayer Radiance: A Modern Hymns Project [Tomb Slayer]
Phil Wickham Song of the Saints (Deluxe) [Fair Trade]


SINGLES
GLADDEN Love Came Down - Single [DREAM]
Chandler Letner Patiently - Single [DREAM]
John Long Boxes - Single [Ocean House]
Jake MacAdam The Father's Plan - Single [Ocean House]
Poets & Prophets Make Room - Single [Fair Trade]
Seph Schlueter Valley of Worship - Single [Provident/Sony]
Stand41TrueGod Wilderness - Single (independent)


For all release dates, click here!
 

Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase!
Need proofreading and editing help? We've got you covered! Click here to learn more
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images