Machèl on Opeth, Architects, Plastikman & more
From heavy riffs and underground hip-hop to electronic beats, Machèl shares the music that continues to shape him.
Machèl grew up in the Netherlands loving the catchy pop of the 90s, like the Backstreet Boys and Michael Jackson. Not long after, he discovered MTV and the music that would end up defining his taste: first rock (Korn and Deftones), then hip-hop (Wu-Tang Clan and Cypress Hill).
Machèl joins us on the Weekly Series for the September 22-28 prompts to share his music journey, which only keeps broadening because he considers it important to keep an open mind.
Which album feels completely tied to fall?
When September arrives and the days start to shorten, there is only one album that perfectly captures that transition for me: Opeth’s Damnation. While they are world-famous for their heavy progressive death metal, this purely acoustic and melancholic masterpiece feels like the musical embodiment of autumn.
To be honest, this album is so incredibly beautiful that I can easily listen to it during any season of the year. It never leaves my rotation! However, when the autumn weather hits, tracks like “Windowpane” and “Hope Leaves” hit completely differently. The hauntingly beautiful guitar melodies and Mikael Åkerfeldt’s clean, sorrowful vocals instantly click with gray, rainy days and falling leaves.
It’s the ultimate soundtrack for those introspective moments when you’re staring outside, watching the world change colors. There is a specific kind of comfort in its dark, bittersweet atmosphere. For me, fall doesn’t truly begin until the first notes of Damnation echo through my speakers. It grounds me, embraces the gloomy weather, and turns the colder days into something deeply atmospheric and beautiful!
Which artist do you think has the most unforgettable live energy?
When it comes to unforgettable live energy, absolutely no one does it like Knocked Loose! I experienced this firsthand when I saw them upfront at Jera On Air festival, and the atmosphere was unlike anything else! The crowd was already losing their minds and going completely wild before the band had even played a single note. That tells you everything you need to know!
Knocked Loose has this incredible ability to drive the crowd insane purely with their own presence. What they do on stage is unmatched. Their movement is intense, yet they bring it in a way that feels subtle and controlled, while simultaneously winding the audience up to a boiling point. By the time a breakdown hits, the energy explodes into pure madness!
It literally feels like everything around you is about to break, haha! The sheer power, the massive mosh pits, and that heavy wall of sound create a chaotic, collective adrenaline rush that stays with you forever. If you want to experience what real, dangerous live energy feels like, you have to see them live!
What’s a song whose lyrics you’ve memorized without even trying?
There are some songs that just embed themselves into your brain, and for me, that’s hands down “The End of Heartache” by Killswitch Engage. This band was my official introduction to metalcore, and they instantly became my favorite band in the genre of all time! I honestly memorized the entire lyrics to this song without ever consciously trying to.
It all comes down to Howard Jones’s legendary vocals. The contrast between the heavy, aggressive verses and that massive, incredibly melodic chorus is so powerful that it just sticks with you. I listened to this track on repeat so many times that the words naturally became second nature. Even now, whenever those heavy opening riffs start playing, I can shout along with every single line from start to finish. It’s the ultimate anthem from the band that started it all for me, and a song that will always stay with me!
Which album cover captures the feeling of change?
When I think of an album cover that captures change, Architects’s All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us immediately comes to mind. The artwork features a striking total solar eclipse, the ultimate metaphor for a heavy shift where light is swallowed by darkness.
For me, this change goes much deeper than the art. As the final album written by guitarist Tom Searle before his tragic passing, it represents a heartbreaking transformation. This reality hits hardest during “Gone with the Wind.” Seeing them perform this song live always completely breaks me. During that heavy, emotional breakdown when frontman Sam Carter visibly breaks down on stage while remembering Tom, the eclipse on the cover suddenly feels tangible. It’s no longer just a picture; it’s the raw, painful definition of a life-altering change. It embodies the haunting transition into the unknown, making it a visual masterpiece rooted in pure, human emotion!
Which song have you been meaning to share but haven’t?
While my playlist is usually dominated by heavy riffs, I actually listen to a lot of hip-hop and other genres too. That’s why I’ve wanted to share “Twijfel” by Fresku. For international readers, “twijfel” translates to “doubt” or “uncertainty” in English, and that is exactly what this song is about. I’ve always kept this track close to my heart, mostly because I’m someone who constantly doubts everything too.
Even though the musical style is different from metalcore, the raw, emotional weight hits just as hard. Right in the intro, the line “shit, wie hou ik voor de gek?” (“shit, who am I kidding?”) always hits me so hard! Fresku delivers an intense but incredible and vulnerable look into his own mind, which peaks during the final chorus. He beautifully reminds us that nobody truly knows what they are doing on this planet, so we shouldn’t doubt ourselves so much. Hearing someone else articulate that exact same inner struggle is incredibly comforting. It proves that heavy, impactful storytelling transcends genres. It’s an intensely personal masterpiece that shows a completely different, yet very real, side of my musical DNA!
Which album has your favorite production style?
As a minimal tech DJ myself, production style is everything to me, and Plastikman’s Closer is the ultimate masterclass. On this album, Plastikman, aka Richie Hawtin, completely broke away from traditional techno loops. Instead, he crafted a masterfully detailed, psychological sonic landscape. What inspires me most is how he synchronizes everything; during his own live DJ sets, he even handles the production of the entire light show around it, directly linking audio to visuals!
The production on the album is incredibly sophisticated. Tracks rely on deep sub-basses, surgical micro-edits, glitchy effects, and haunting vocal manipulation to create an atmosphere that feels three-dimensional. As a DJ, I deeply appreciate how he builds immense tension using absolutely minimal elements. Every frequency is perfectly placed, proving that sometimes the space between the notes is just as powerful as the sound itself. It remains the absolute blueprint of sophisticated electronic music production.
What’s a song title that makes absolutely sense once you hear the song?
When it comes to a song title that makes absolute sense the moment you hear it, “Can You Feel My Heart” by Bring Me The Horizon is the ultimate example. This is my favorite BMTH song of all time, and it carries a deeply personal, double meaning for me. On one hand, the true emotional meaning behind this song hits me on a very deep level. On the other hand, it also holds a very literal meaning for me, as I am actually a heart patient myself. From a young age, I’ve been a heart patient with no known cause, which is why this title hits me so heavily on a physical level.
The track perfectly encapsulates how people rarely see what is happening beneath the surface, or what someone’s heart truly carries. Whether it’s raw emotions, struggles, or physical pain. The alignment between the vulnerability of that question and the crushing power of the music is incredibly beautiful! It connects with me so deeply that I even wear these words tattooed on my arm. It’s an absolute masterpiece that will stay with me forever!
Beyond the songs he picked for this week’s prompts, Machèl also shared a little more about the experiences, artists, and sounds that shaped his relationship with music.
What did you grow up listening to?
I was born and raised in the Netherlands. Growing up, listening to, collecting, and sharing music became my absolute biggest passion, shaping me into the person I am today and supporting me through both the beautiful and the difficult times. In the beginning, I started out loving 90s pop like the Backstreet Boys and Michael Jackson. Those catchy pop sounds were my first real introduction to the world of music before my taste took a turn into entirely new directions.
Did you ever go through any specific music phases or periods where you were particularly obsessed with an artist, genre, or sound?
Although nobody in my family shared my rock and metal roots, I discovered that world completely on my own through MTV. The moment I saw Korn and Deftones on screen, I felt an instant, magical connection. Around that exact same time, I also started diving heavily into 90s boombap hip-hop, becoming a massive fan of the genre. I fell in love with legendary acts like Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, Mobb Deep, and Nas, while also digging deeper into the underground scene with artists like Camp Lo, Black Moon, and Group Home. It sparked a massive phase where I was completely obsessed with the raw energy of alternative rock, metal, and underground hip-hop. Since then, my taste has only broadened; I became an avid music collector across many genres, and I also found a way to express my love for electronic beats as a minimal deep house and techno DJ.
Was there a moment, experience, or discovery that changed the way you listened to or experienced music?
My musical journey has always taught me to keep an open mind, and a major live experience completely solidified that mindset. For instance, I used to dislike Iron Maiden, but after seeing them live at a festival, I was completely blown away and have been a huge fan ever since. It changed how I approach music, proving that you should never judge an artist until you experience their energy live. Today, tattoos, festivals, and concerts are also my ultimate outlet and passion.
Tell us about an artist who became especially important to you.
An artist that has become profoundly important to me is Amenra. Their music is something that truly heals and shatters the soul. Sometimes you have those days in life when everything goes completely different than you wanted. Moments that leave you lost, causing your life to suddenly stand completely still or fall apart. Those are the exact moments I put on Amenra; that is when I need them most. During the times I had to grieve for my late father, Amenra's music helped me immensely. It allows me to pour all my emotions and feelings into it, and to just completely surrender myself.
Their album "Mass VI" is truly one of my absolute favorite post-metal albums of all time. This Belgian collective masterfully mixes heavy post-metal with atmospheric sludge and hardcore, creating a unique sound built on intense, emotional build-ups and crushing breakdowns. When everything around you shatters, their music becomes a safe haven to completely let go. It triggers something so deep within me! It’s a band I can feel in my entire body and soul. Every single time I listen to them, a wave of raw emotion hits me, pulling me through the darkest moments. This band has meant so much to me and triggers such powerful emotions within me that I chose to get their famous tripod logo tattooed on my skin, wanting to carry them and their impact with me forever. The three crow’s feet reflects their vision on life. solidarity, strength, and rise back up. On top of that, seeing them live is an absolute experience, almost like a cathartic ritual. Words don’t do it justice; you just have to experience it for yourself. In a world full of noise, Amenra is the heavy embrace that allows me to heal.
How would you describe the evolution of your taste?
If someone saw my collection, they would learn that I am an open book. My musical evolution is driven by curiosity and a mix of different worlds, from heavy metal riffs, gritty 90s hip-hop bars, and cute indie pop, to smooth jazz, soul, classic grooves, and drifting, hypnotic electronic vibes. My music reflects my deepest, most vulnerable thoughts, but at the same time, it captures my lighter side, good-natured sarcasm, and humor. Even my Indonesian roots and my love for cooking and good food influence this; just like a good meal, my taste in music is all about blending different flavors, spices, cultures, and styles.
What are you listening to lately?
Honestly, I listen to a vast variety of music lately, and it completely depends on my mood. It can shift by the day or even every few hours. On some days, I put on heavy black and death metal like Obituary, Death, Dimmu Borgir, or Cradle of Filth. Right now, I am absolutely blown away by Crypta, an all-female death metal band from Brazil. What they are doing is absolutely unprecedented!
On other days, I’m entirely in a hip-hop mood, spinning MF DOOM and Isaiah Rashad, or local and regional artists like Zwangere Guy and Opgezwolle. On the other hand I do love artist like Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift or Jorja Smith. I also love putting on ambient music like Brian Eno, or diving into jazz and soul like Miles Davis, Charles Bradley or Jordan Rakei. But at the end of the day, the music I return to most is my loyal love for metalcore, punk hardcore, and emo. If I were to name every single band, I’d still be listing them tomorrow, but lately, groups like Citizen, Movements, Fit For A King, and Currents have been on heavy rotation.
Machèl is an avid collector from the Netherlands, with a taste that spans metal, hip-hop, electronic music, jazz, soul, and beyond. Alongside his passion for collecting records, concerts, and festivals, he expresses his connection to music through tattoos and his work as a minimal deep house and techno DJ.
