At 23 tracks, the album overextends itself, disrupting the intensity and ferocity that defined its opening half. Trimmed down to a lean 10–12 tracks, The Machine could have been a focused, tightly wound project. Instead, its sprawl dulls its edge. And by the time the final track, “HALLELUJAH,” featuring Phyno, Jeriq, and Tobe Nwigwe, rolls in, we are torn between joining the celebration and simply sighing with relief that the album has finally ended.
