Reviews

(For pictures for press use, including the album cover, click here)

"Do Or Die" album reviews

'power-pop perfection - a dazzling debut - 4/5' - The Sun, 15 August 2008 (scan)

'power pop stomp... brilliant vocal harmonies... ridiculously catchy - 7/10' - Classic Rock, October 2008 (scan)

'locating the sweet spot between Green Day and 10CC' - Spin Magazine, December 2009 (scan)

'a glorious cacophony of power pop noise that distills the best bits of Jellyfish with a dash of early Manics and even tosses in a smidge of Beach Boys chorus catchiness' - Classic Rock Magazine Track of the Day, May 2009 (link)

'a collection of largely straight-ahead and chewy-centred pop-rock nuggets' - Kerrang!, August 2008 (scan)

'extremely catchy lyrics and hook laden, Do Or Die is a must buy... you would not possibly think this is a debut album by a band who have been together for less than a year - but from an established band who have been making albums together for decades' - Nix Crichton, Total Rock

'while such pleasures are few and far between on most rock albums of late, they are scattered all over the 11 tracks on offer here... all in all, Do Or Die is one of the most enjoyable guitar based pop albums i have heard in a long long time' - playlouder.com

'it's like being at the pub with the jukebox playing all the songs you know... it's good; real good' - Sandman Magazine, September 2008 (page 1) (page 2)

'a storming rock 'n' roll anthem of epic proportions, its gargantuan riff and relentless pace sure to hit everybody who hears it for six and then some. As loud and lethal as the tune is, it's impeccably radio-friendly, which is obviously a major bonus' - Screaming Tarts 'zine

'Eureka Machines are good at coming up with tunes that hit you quickly and pull you around with them - 4/5' - Black Velvet Magazine review, December 2008 (scan)

'will have you clapping along on first listen, singing along on second listen and leaping around your room on third listen - 4/5' - Leeds Guide, August 2008

'a lightning strike of pure power pop perfection... Eureka Machines have the songs to achieve the genre-hopping success of someone like Supergrass... easily, and breezily, one of the better albums of 2008' - glitzine.net

'no gimmicks, no intellectual pretension, just straightforward, head for the central nervous system guitar pop, and, I am pleased to say, given on the evidence provided, it totally works... such unexpected aural twists and turns never felt so refreshing' - ireallylovemusic Magazine, September 2008

'a collision of riotous rock, punk energy and orchestrated heavy metal guitars welded to solid vocals, Do Or Die explodes with a regiment full of harmonies and the pummelling power of bass and guitars that feed off the supernova sounds of both QOTSA and MUSE... purely and simply, class - 4/5' - www.manchestermusic.co.uk, August 2008

'it is an album that staples Chris’s name in the histories as a genuinely super superstar of British music and one that gets better with every single listen... wonderful stuff - 5/5' - Andi J Chamberlain, Subba-Cultcha, August 2008

'good cheer... fine heads-down boogie singalongs' - John Earls, Planet Sound

'an album which you can just scream at the top of your voice in your car or even in the shower... a really immense guitar rip roaring work of art' - Mark Moore, contactmusic.com

'smart tunes that split the difference between the Beach Boys and Queens of the Stone Age' - Exitfare

Leeds/Reading Festival 2008 reviews

'The best new act of the weekend was the cheeky punksters Eureka Machines whose banter, smart suits, crazy stare drummer, and rounded punk rock will go down a storm at smaller festivals next summer' - Scott Williams, eFestivals

'head and shoulders above the pack in terms of style, substance and festival punter appeal' - Vibrations Magazine

'it’s hard to imagine a better opening act. It's rock and roll in the fullest sense, the original recipe with a kick in every bottle... a fine bravura performance' - Whisperin' and Hollerin'

'as sharp as their threads, splicing rock and pop effortlessly whilst remembering the cardinal rule of rock: entertain! In short, Chris Catalyst and company set the bar incredibly high for the Introducing stage' - Sandman Magazine

'Between songs Chris Catalyst gently mocks the Festival clichés with the good grace of a rock and roll addict who loves it all, and has done most of it. None of the bands that followed would have done themselves any harm at by watching this band leader showing how to work a stage and connect with a crowd... the man is a star and his mates in the band are more than wiling (and very able) to reinforce the image with rock solid performances in each department' - Sam Saunders, www.leedsmusicscene.co.uk

'Eureka Machines belt out their razor-sharp power pop to a large and appreciative crowd. A combination of good natured vocalist Chris Catalyst, tight Wildhearts style riffing and some gliding three-way harmonies Weezer would be proud of keep the crowd onside for the duration. "The light at the end of the tunnel, is the light of an oncoming train" warns Chris Catalyst in their set closer; a caveat that would clearly be lost on anyone spending their time watching Mindless Self Indulgence on the main stage' - Dom Gourlay/Andrew Sockanathan, www.contactmusic.com

Other live reviews

'the suited and booted foursome hark back to the glory days of Britrock... hard-hitting drummer Wayne Insane could be Dave Grohl in disguise (8/10)' - Rock Sound

'It's chuffing marvellous. a bit power pop QOTSA, Mansun, and late 80s power pop. a nice Soulwax feel to it... it's all good' - Dan Morfitt, Kerrang! Radio, April 2008

'The younger members of the audience shuffle forward to catch sight of acoustic duo Eureka Machines, who look like punk rock sales reps, but their effortless twin harmonies quickly make up for their dubiously contrived sharp-shirted appearance' - live review, Rob Bealey, Kerrang! review of acoustic set, March 2008 (scan)

'the band definitely won the best dressed band award of the day as they came on stage in black suits and white skinny ties, but don’t let their dress put you off this band because they rocked like no other today' - The Mayfair Mall 'zine

'the energetic foursome bring an abundance of wit and a bucketload of balls-out catchy pop-fuelled punk rock to York this evening and as a result they pull-off the standout performance of our evening... bouncy mosheable choruses made-up of skyscraping riffage, crazy beats and straight to the point vocal strength' - Sphere Magazine

'Easily the best set of the afternoon so far – the cheeky banter wraps it up nicely... Eureka Machines? Surely you mean pure genius?' - Pure Rawk fanzine

'The band of the day is most certainly Eureka Machines! Sharp Dressed Men and Rock 'n Roll … what more could you ask for? The 'Eureka' chant left me with chills and they certainly did not disappoint anyone in the crowd, the venue was completely packed when they played. Finishing on a high, they have certainly kicked up the temperature by 10,000 degrees' - Komodo Rock fanzine

'go along to a show and just see if they don’t leave you smiling at the end of it' - Mark Grainger, themusicmagazine.co.uk

'you will not find a better-drilled showband around' - Rob Paul Chapman, Vibrations Magazine (scan)

'Chris Catalyst... has been playing regular away matches with THE SISTERS OF MERCY or ANTIPRODUCT or ROBOCHRIST. Tonight it becomes clear that these lives on the road have left him underemployed - and EUREKA MACHINES are making a debut as Chris's own band. It’s showy, choreographed, dramatic and totally engaging rock and roll, with sideburns, spats, beetle crushers and metal riffs. This is huge entertainment, with songs like "Red Wine Smile" that (under all the cheap tricks and sucker punches) carry a lot more than a stirring mosh beat. Imagine how good The Hives would have been if they had had better songs and a darker edge. Well. That's about how EUREKA MACHINES look and sound' - Sam Saunders, Whisperin' and Hollerin'

'I once saw the original Eureka Machine at a museum; a 19th century invention capable of composing random verse, music and an 'abstract visual display'. I've got a feeling that behind this knowing nod to randomness, these boys have a far clearer idea of what they're doing. And in fact, if someone had slipped Archimedes this disc back in the day then he'd probably have given the bath a miss, only to later be found screaming Eureka back at the speakers instead' - Alexander Rennie, www.leedsmusicscene.co.uk

'Eureka Machines, fronted by Chris Catalyst, were an unexpected bonus of the night. Having seen Robochrist - and been quite unmoved by the whole thing - I didn’t expect too much from Eureka Machines, however the music turned out to be very good and Catalyst was a genuinely likeable and engaging presence on stage. Dave on guitar 2 provided steady backing and bounced some banter back and forth with Catalyst. So, not only has Catalyst played with some modern-day gods - a.k.a. The Sisters of Mercy and Ginger - it seems he’s also a top bloke. Git.' - www.livemusicreview.co.uk

'a fine stripped-down set - 8/10' - live review, Paul Raggity, Rock Sound, April 2008

'close harmonies, barbed riffs and crowd repartee you only get from years honing your art, taking it seriously but never forgetting that it’s supposed to be fun… and an effortless ability to write catchy songs' - Rob Wright, Sandman Magazine, March 2008

'Before he's even opened his mouth to sing or strum a single chord, all eyes are on him, not least because of his striking presence given his Mohawk haircut and killer sideburns. Slamming into a barrage of tight hard rock numbers, the rest of the Yorkshire-based quartet looked equally as great, decked in black suits for solidarity. ‘The Light At The End of The Tunnel is The Light of An Oncoming Train’ succeeded in being both the set highlight and the longest song title imaginable.' - Steve Rudd, www.screamingtarts.com

'Exciting stuff that delivers more drama and action than a Bond film – in fact maybe they should soundtrack the next one? Stranger things have happened.' - www.manchestermusic.co.uk

'A military tight rock and roll machine. Punchy anthems driven by critically timed harmonies are the bedrock of this entertaining troupe – they even have the same black and white beetlecrushers on. They might be sharply dressed but their music is as equally cutting and volumous' - www.manchestermusic.co.uk