Many people thought The Blackening would never be surpassed, and though they may not have reached the heights of that album, they’ve come pretty close.
Machine Head - one of the most enduring and popular metal bands of modern times will soon release the follow-up to their Grammy nominated, fantastic album, The Blackening. This new release is called Unto The Locust, and it is scheduled for release on September 27th. Many fans will have taken the time to listen to the first release from the album, Locust, which was released on June 14th and they would have been more than happy with what they heard. The song signified yet another considerable move into more established territory into the metal genre for the band. Yes, their customary sound was there to be heard: sinister, dark riffs; breakdowns so heavy and angry that it makes your eardrums rattle; vocals that can be related to yet are also there to provide instigation for thought; and drumming so exceptional and well-crafted that its enough to make a budding drummer lock themselves in and practise, practise, practise. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jGZJxnJk-4&ob=av2e All this was there on the surface but there was another facet that could be heard: a more polished, confident sound that is even more obvious than it was on The Blackening. This would have excited a lot of fans and would have made their wait for the album an impatient one. The wait will have been worth it, though, once Unto The Locust is fully listened to. It proves Machine Head to be one of the best metal bands around and a band that show the metal genre has still, very much, got a lot to offer. In Machine Heads existence, the band has released 7 albums, most notably Burn My Eyes, The Burning Red, Through The Ashes Of Empires and The Blackening. But pretty much all of their albums have sold well. Theyre a band that has got a very dedicated and devoted fan-base. However, their early material is a far cry from the sound they are known for today and it shows the band arent afraid to move on with the ever-changing metal scene to verify their place as a much-admired, successful band. It not only shows their ability to move with the times, it shows their determination to remain as a fore-runner in the metal genre. Unto The Locust starts off with I Am Hell (Sonata In C#) an eerie, uncompromising track that ensures its meaning and lyrics stay with the listener long after its finished, especially the lyrics that are spat out: I am hell and I am death. These in particular show that there is a more deep-rooted meaning underneath the surface of frenetic drumming, snarling, vicious vocals and the excellent, beautiful, dangerous guitar-work. The solo, in particular, is especially strong and Rob Flynns vocals provide the anger that is so much a stalwart asset of Machine Heads sound.The pinches in Locust are unbelievable and will make a metal fan drool. Combined with the dark groove that is a constant throughout the song, and the heavy, exceptional drumming its no surprise that the band chose this as the first release off the album. Its easy to see this as being a favourite song with many a fan, and with the bands epic live shows the song is bound to be pure, unadulterated metal at its finest. The breakdown is possibly the heaviest on the album and the haunting solo again confirms the class of the band and the track. Who We Are starts off with children singing the lyrics, soon joined by Flynn. This makes for an effect that instantly grabs your attention. The innocent, gentle vocals of the children, united with the oxymoron vocals of Flynn make for a devastating example of when samples can be used to their full potential. The lyrics will stand as a true testament to the bands attitude to many a fan and again shows the band arent just about creating heavy, dark, ominous music: This I who we are / This is what I am / We have nowhere else to go / Divided we will stand.The acoustic version of Darkness Within is a nice touch to end the album. The melodic, gentle guitar exemplifies the tenderness of Flynns clean singing voice and the track also provides a respite for the listener to take in the absolute menacing, ten-ton heaviness of the other tracks. The maturity of the band shines through here, especially in their choice to only include the lonely, evocative guitar. This is an album that further establishes Machine Head as one of the best metal bands in the world. Many people thought The Blackening would never be surpassed, and though they may not have reached the heights of that album, theyve come pretty close. An essential purchase for fans of the band and for fans of quality metal. Machine Head - Unto The Locust - is released on September 26th.