Review by Phil Rozier for MPM
In August, 1994, I was sitting on a mate’s bed, along with a load of other raucous and rowdy teenagers. Music, played on a cassette deck, varied that day from Metallica and Megadeth, right the way through to ‘You’re Unbelievable’ by EMF (don’t ask me how that tune crept in that day). I remember it specifically, as a guitarist friend of mine, Tom, was trying to learn how to play it. Tom was a tall and handsome fella, a hit with the ladies, and dead good on the 6 string. Being beckoned by the room to show us his skills, Tom reluctantly and probably rather embarrassingly agreed to take part. After about ten mins of EMF I remember him saying ‘why am I learning how to play this crap?’ and he discarded the guitar to one side and said, ‘can’t we listen to something else?’.
Well, as fate would have it that summers day, we could indeed listen to something else. The host of the day, Paul Mant (favourably jested for being ‘half man, half ant’, I’m so sorry Paul if you’re reading), whipped out a cassette surrounded in a cardboard sleeve. How modern!? A cardboard sleeve, not a plastic case like the good old days. These were modern times.
The tape was slid out of the cardboard wrapper and popped into the cassette deck. My life wouldn’t ever be the same again.
Some guys from Oakland, California, headed up by a triple pronged braided goatee beard wearing Rob Flynn, were making a hell of a noise. A noise like nothing else. Hugely fast, hugely loud, probably a C tuning on the guitars, with those squealing harmonics. The room fell silent, as the gang of teenagers were stopped in their tracks. A combination of fear and excitement, ‘let freedom ring with a shot gun blast!’ resulted in tall Tom shouting ‘Yes!!!’ (think Beavis and Butthead!!)
The very next day I was off to Rock Box in Camberley to ensure that the sound that damaged my ears the day before, was not to be lost. I was fortunate enough to have, wait for it, a CD player, so I spent my hard earned £9.99 on a limited edition digi pack! These overpriced cardboard triple folded sleeves were the latest craze in CD marketing. Often more expensive than their harder more durable plastic casing counter parts, these cardboard sleeves often became torn, and dog eared within a few days of being slipped in and out of your school bag.
‘Burn my Eyes’ was an absolute defining moment for me, my friends, and the metal genre in 1994. In a mess of Nu Metal, Grunge, Indie, and a dying Hair Metal vibe of the late 80’s, Machine Head bought something new to the table. Often classed as Nu Metal, I wasn’t so sure myself. They’re defo not the rap focused Limp Bizkit, nor were they the melody focused Linkin Park that followed a year or two later. Machine Head were pretty unique. Machine Head were brutal! Similar in dress sense to other Nu Metal pioneers, there were some baggy shorts and football T shirts for sure, but, the sound was instantly different, and now defining and recognisable.
31 years and 11 albums later, my digi pack is still on the shelf, albeit the cardboard has Sellotape down the spine holding it together (you didn’t get that with the hard-shell CD cases!). After the 25th anniversary reunion and remastered recordings of ‘Burn my Eyes’, I am still very much in admiration and full of remembrance of that day in 1994.
‘Unatoned’ is Machine Heads latest edition to their discography, and I have the absolute delight of giving it a spin and telling you lovely readers what I think of it.
‘Landscape of Thorns’ then, as with any truly heavy thrash sounding album, is here to set the scene and get the listener hooked. As the opener whispers through the first 26 seconds, and wind whistles through the air, we are accompanied by what sounds like the slow trudge of a footstep. With only ten seconds to go, the disturbing fuzz of a fade up gets louder and louder, and you just know that you are moments away from what will undoubtedly be a huge crash of distortion, bass and drums, loud enough to deafen the dead. Here we go… waiting… and…. Oh? We’re into track 2, and soft melodic sound of a piano. I’ll get back to my cup of Earl Grey.
Having learnt my lessons in the past, I am expecting the unexpected, and don’t release my brace too early. Just as well, as the gentle piano is within seconds abolished and lost amongst what Machine Head are all about. ‘Atomic Revelations’ is exactly what you’d expect from a Machine Head track. Heavy, aggressive, and accompanied by a gentler vocal chorus. It isn’t quite Davidian, but, then nothing really ever will be. But a great opener of a track, and for me, already perhaps setting the scene for something slightly different? Let’s play on and see where it goes.
‘Unbound’ is again, typical of Machine Head. Rob’s characteristic aggressive spoken vocals kick off the noise, and then when in full swing, the track definitely has a touch of ‘Old’ about it. Like the opener, it has a blend of aggressive spoken word, balanced with articulate melodic singing. The palm muting is signature Machine Head, and it’s great to hear the familiar harmonics making a return to form.
The tracks fly by, already into ‘Outsider’. Track 4 is again perhaps different from previous albums, as it contains more melodic vocals in the chorus, and yet, not dissimilar to the earlier tracks on this latest record. Heavy and aggressive for sure, but, you are given some rest from the distortion at regular intervals. I dig it, to the point I actually think the heavier than ever aggression could do with being balanced out. Maybe this is because I’ve been listening to Machine Head for 31 years and my ears aren’t as tolerant as they use to be!?
‘Not Long for This World’ continues the slightly more sustainable path of melodic head banging (is there such a thing!?), but that pleasant period of relaxation is soon crushed by the extra bone crunching ‘These Scars Won’t Define Us’. ‘One life is all that we get’ is screamed out my speakers and it’s at this point I get the sense that behind the outer defence of strict thrash, banging kick drum and overly distorted distortion, is a strength of meaning and purpose. Don’t be fooled into thinking that mindless noise is always mindless. Sometimes, and in this case, Machine Head have developed mindful noise. And it’s quite the force to be reckoned with.
Moving on then, ‘Dustmaker’ is quite the throw back. Intentionally or otherwise, and don’t think I’ve lost the plot, this track actually has a touch of Morcheeba influence, or mid 90’s ‘chill’ about it. I know, right!? Don’t worry though. Those of the hardest cores amongst you won’t be left waiting for long, ‘Bonescraper’ is a return to the rest of the powerhouse aggression and heavy riffage. It’s got a great ‘live’ chorus and is a belter of a track.
Track 09. Drums anyone? The top percussion work on this track is amazing. Not overly unique for this genre, but always massively impressive to keep up the pace and consistency. ‘Bleeding Me Dry’ is another chance to cool off and rest for a bit. Take a breather and get that almost ‘dance chill’ feeling back. For only 40 seconds. Because then you don’t have a chance to breath as the aggressive chords and banging bass will leave you shaken. Dispersed once more with melody, Unatoned is definitely a Machine Head album, but it’s also making a statement in the way the songs are structured. Common balance between hell heavy riffs, and heavenly open vocals, isn’t a one off or a fad. This album is consistently mixing with the new and the old, the tradition with the modern; the heavier with the more relaxed.
The final tracks of this powerful album are equally as defined, definitive, and as banging. In 1994 Machine Head didn’t raise the bar, they introduced a new one for anyone brave enough to try and reach. And I don’t think many others attempt to play in the same park. This latest work is aggressive to the full, fused with power metal brutality, and the melodic vocals add a touch of sadness, depth and control. Don’t get me wrong, the King that is Machine Head is still very much at the front of the Pride, but their latest work offers something more rounded, better balanced, and occasionally softer on the ear.
Order – https://machinehead.bfan.link/unatoned
MACHINE HEAD is:
Robb Flynn | Vocals & Guitars
Jared MacEachern | Bass & Vocals
Reece Scruggs | Guitar
Matt Alston | Drums
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