Heavyocity’s latest entry in the Damage series is here, and it’s a perfect addition to the lineup. Machina dives headfirst into the world of gears, clocks, engines, pinball machines, and typewriters—transforming everyday mechanical clatter into cinematic percussion. As someone who’s always been fascinated by machine noises, I’ve been hoping Heavyocity would build something like this for years.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the sounds of machines—their clanks, creaks, and clicks are so pleasing and fulfilling. Machina finally captures that magic in a musical context.”
First Impressions
Right away, Machina feels like it fills an underserved niche: mechanical, percussive sound design that’s actually playable and musical. It isn’t just a collection of random clangs and rattles—it’s a carefully curated set of sounds, designed in collaboration with trailer sound-design legend Robert Dudzic, and shaped into loops, hits, and playable instruments using Heavyocity’s familiar Damage 2 engine.
At $149 (introductory price: $119, or $99 if you own Damage or Damage 2), Machina lands in the same pricing bracket as Heavyocity’s other “smaller” Damage releases. But don’t let the size fool you—this one packs over 700 sound sources, 288 loops, and 77 presets into a tight 2.6GB footprint.
The Sound of Machines
This is where Machina shines. From brooding metallic pulses to tactile wooden creaks, the samples are crisp, full of air, and loaded with character. What stood out immediately was how balanced they felt: upfront and tactile without being over-processed or washed out in reverb.
“These are simple and modular enough to fit into a lot of contexts, but they’re also incredibly interesting. There’s motion, polish, and a tactile texture that really inspires creativity.”
The Loop Designer is the perfect starting point. Instead of being stuck with static, premade loops, Machina lets you break them down into individual layers and rebuild them to taste. This modular approach means you can grab that one clanky hit you love from a loop and ignore the rest—a level of flexibility many loop libraries lack.
“I love this approach—you’re not stuck with one big loop. You can break it down, re-arrange it, and build your own rhythms. It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing.”
On the Ensemble Designer side, you get playable kits built from found sounds like pinball machines, steam engines, and typewriters. Some patches are stylistically processed, inspiring you with ready-to-use textures, while others serve as raw material for building your own custom percussive kits.
Practical Uses
Machina is tailor-made for cinematic scoring and hybrid soundtracks. Need percussive drive in an action cue without resorting to another taiko or kick drum? Machina slots right in. Its loops and hits add motion and tension without eating up the same sonic space as traditional drums.
“This is perfect when you want rhythmic movement without resorting to big orchestral percussion. It creates tension and motion while staying out of the way.”
And while it’s easy to spotlight the mechanical character, Machina also offers more processed, hybridized sounds that blur into the electronic realm. Some patches sound more like cutting-edge synth percussion than anything mechanical—giving the library surprising versatility.
Favorite Features
- Loop Designer flexibility – Modular loops you can break down and reassemble.
- Unique sound palette – Gears, clocks, engines, pinball machines, and more, all captured with stunning detail.
- Utility folders – Smartly organized low, mid, and high frequency content for easy kit-building.
- Creative presets – From hybrid manipulations to organic creaks, they spark inspiration instantly.
“This might be one of my favorite smaller Damage releases. It’s easy to wrap your head around, but it still feels rich and diverse.”
Final Thoughts
Heavyocity’s Machina is more than just a quirky collection of noises. It’s a fully realized instrument that balances creativity, usability, and inspiration in equal measure. Whether you’re a film composer looking for fresh tension builders, a producer layering industrial grit into electronic tracks, or simply someone who loves the sonic beauty of machines, Machina delivers.
“This is a really super-rich playground for creating your own kits and rhythms. Heavyocity struck a perfect balance between flexibility, polish, and inspiration.”
At its price point and size, Machina feels like one of Heavyocity’s best “smaller” Damage releases to date—and for anyone craving mechanical, textural percussion, it might just become essential.
Prefer video?
If you’d rather watch (or just listen) instead of reading, check out the video versions below 👇
🎬 Full Review / Demo: https://youtu.be/41cCoFgGH04
🔇 “No Talking” Demo: https://youtu.be/wSzn9SYHKao
