Machine head is:
Dave McClain - Drums
Phil Demmel - Guitar
Rob Flynn - Guitar/Vocals
Adam Duce - Bass/Background Vocals
Machine Head... I don't know much about their history, only that their last two albums were failures. This album is not just a comeback, no, it's immediately one of the best albums I've ever heard... seriously. Now get to those songs!
Tracklisting
01. Imperium
02. Bite The Bullet
03. Left Unfinished
04. Elegy
05. In The Presence Of My Enemies
06. Days Turn Blue To Gray
07. Vim
08. Seasons Wither
09. All Falls Down
10. Wipe The Tears
11. Descend The Shades Of Night
1. Imperium
Imperium, we all know that song right? That song was pretty popular, people were saying that the whole album would be like this. Luckily for me it was a lie. Don't misunderstand me, it's not a bad song. It's a really good song, but if you'd only hear this song you would get at the same time a really bad impression and a good impression of the album. The good impression are the vocals, lyrics and length. Like the other songs there is shouting and singing in the song, exactly at the right moment... The length is also alright, about the average of the songs on this album. The bad impression is that all of those good riffs are pretty predictable and a tiny little bit cliché. The opening guitar is nice though, but goes over fast in a marching drum. You know, something we have heard for about 145 times. The riffs that come in the bridge are better than the couplet and chorus ones. Not too good though, it's all done before. A speed metal beat is set in with some nice harmonic guitars and before you know it the clean guitars of the intro come in again. This time it's used as an outro. A good song, but just a little bit too cliché.
Grade 8.2/10
2. Bite The Bullet
This song... This song is just the real definition of heavy metal. A short, whiny and angry song with some brilliant riffs and fast drumbeats. The chorus features some of the best "angsty" lyrics I've ever seen. The couplet is half instrumental, half Rob shouting. It's a short song, before you know it, you've come to the bridge. Not bad though because it's a really good bridge, Adam really has talent! The bridge builds up to the climax, which is the third chorus (no duh). The last chorus is definiately the climax with Rob shouting top notch and some nervous but melodic background guitar. Then the song ends... pretty fast. Twice the length and would have been a 10. Now BtB has to take enough with a 9, superb nonetheless.
Grade 9/10
3. Left Unfinished
This song is a perfect example of how Machine Head can build up and break down the songs like crazy. The song starts with a music box melody and goes smoothly over into a standard but nice heavy guitar riff. The couplet features 3 different parts all with a different feeling. After the last part the tone goes down and down till it reaches the chorus. The chorus is half speed and has a great use of shouting and singing switching at some counting. The shouting part is again like the intro a metal riff that is used very much but the singing part has a lead guitar riff that has it's own way, very nice. Like the other songs, the couplet is repeated and again the chorus comes. After that some tom rolling comes and a solo done by Rob. The solo isn't anything special, just fits in the song. Some more tom rolling and some shouting and a weird growl from Rob. The chorus comes again... and is again repeated, but instead of cutting the song of Machine Head decided to repeat the chorus with some
very emotional humming. The song slowly fades away, man, I liked it very much. Do y'all also think the comparison between Five (The Burning Red) and this one is big?
Grade 9.5/10
4. Elegy
Although many people call this "filler" or "standard nu-metal", I think the opposite. It's true that this song is the most "nu-metal like" song of the album, but since this album is
NOT a nu-metal album, Elegy isn't even such nu-metal as other bands or earlier Machine Head work (Supercharger, The Burning Red). The song itself is very slow and burning. The guitarwork is very repetive, not to say it's bad though, it kinda blends with the drum. The couplet is spoken by Rob and oh man, I love that first line. "Elegies are to be sung". The chorus is the reason why most people don't like this song. It's not bad but aslo not very creative. It features some standard guitar work and gets a bit repetive. The bridge is the best part of the song. The bridge is sung with a nice guitar riff that takes the lead but goes in background the same time. We haven't had that till now did we? After that an interlude comes with the same riffs as the bridge but now in heavy style. Then the chorus comes again with double length, not bad but I hoped for something more spectacular.
Grade 8/10
[b]5. In The Precence of My Enemies[/i]
This type of songs are gigants. I call them gigants not because of their length, but because of their heaviness, constant beat and mixture of different feelings. You know Reflection of Tool? That's a gigant. A Change of Seasons (Dream Theater), thats a gigant too. Machine Head has their own gigant, this one. The song starts with a very weird tom hitting. Why is it weird? Well, because it looks as they play in a 11/8 counting, while they actually just do a 4/4 counting. The couplet is the same thing but with raspy vocals in it. The chorus is another gigantical riff, with singing and shouting. They sure know how to make big sounding songs. After the same pattern is followed there comes a load of different riffs, a solo with a clean background and some singing without any instruments. Especially the riff at 4:42 is very notable, just as the sudden high speed at 5:49. The only bad thing is that it's pretty forgetable, and since there are lots of those riffs the bridge/outro is sometimes skipped. Even though the riffs are very good.. well some of them at least. Neverthless a great song.
Grade 9/10
Days Turn Blue To Gray
The second single. While most of the songs have the same heaviness pattern (couplet is heavy while chorus is melodic), this song features both of them at chorus and couplet. Both those two song structures have the same heaviness, although it's not really heavy. Still understand it? The couplet is both heavy and melodic, the same is the chorus, that is mostly instrumental. After the second couplet and chorus a nice breakdown comes. Then a cool, high guitar riff in 7/8 counting comes. Rob begins to sing at his most emotional, about a father (his father?) beating up the children, being a bad dad. Rob sings "Why don't you love me", so it's clear Rob pretends to be the child right now. The drum and bass comes in, and soon the song goes over in some very nice headbangable riff with Rob singing "MUTHERF*CKER". The song stays at that heaviness, the anger present. The outro features some guitar scraping and low bass and drum sh*t. It's a single, and dam* a good one.
Grade 9.5/10
7. Vim
Wow! This song is heavy metal at it's finest. The song starts with a kick@ss tom-base drumpattern done by Dave. That was also the reason why I listened this song about an half year ago. I liked the intro but not the couplet and chorus, that's why I changed it after the intro to another track. Why did I do that? The couplet and chorus aren't very bad, but especially the interludes, bridges and breakdowns after that are awesome. Some cool soloing and many great drumrolls make this track another powerful track. The lyrics are again outstanding, making the song even more correct. The only negative point I can't find that there isn't any clean part on it. All the 5 minutes is full of heaviness and distortion, but a change of mood, created with some clean vocals and guitarwork would make this song less linear, and better. It's a good song but since there isn't something outstanding in it the grade will be "high but not as high as the others".
Grade 8.7/10
8. Seasons Wither
This got to be one of the best heavy metal song ever made in the whole wide world. Don't get me wrong, it's no useless hail from a fanboy, I'm serious. This song touched me deep in my heart giving me feelings I have never had before. The reason why I like it is the constant changing of moods. From all the 6 minutes there is about 2 minutes of clean and emotional singing, 3 minutes of shouting and soloing, 0.5 minutes of singing with a great metal riff and 0.5 of weird but cool adn unique guitar effects. The song starts with a high pitching guitar riff with an harmonizing effect. Although many define it as a gay riff I really like it. It goes into an unexpected heavy guitar riff. The drum is also very nice with a very unregular sounding tom roll. When the song goes into the couplet you'll realise that the drum stopped while the distorted vocals and guitars keep on doing their job. The drum makes and alternative pattern of waiting some time and then go back to the heavy beat. The chorus is also perfectly blended with a pre-chorus between the couplet and chorus. Listening to the pre-chorus feels like it's a build-up to something greater, which is actually the case. The chorus is a chorus that just gives metal a new edge. 3 Lines of angry shouting and 1 line of singing "In grace you'll be no more", The nice thing of that last singing line is that the chorus blends perfectly into the intro guitar riff. The couplet and chorus are repeated featuring some nice different lyrics at the couplet. After that an interlude comes with the solo following. The solo is again outstanding, not that it's technically a very difficult solo, but more in terms of hitting the right notes. Then the big clean bridge comes. with the solo guitar fading away, Dave plays a calm rhytm with his sticks hitting on the side of the snare (don't know the name, that steel wall-thingie around the snare itself). Then Rob comes in with a line repeated several times. Singing "The seasons wither away" and a calm guitar riff, Rob again creates a feeling that I love. A second vocal comes in, going an octave higher and if you listen very good you can hear a guitar(?) with the best effect I've ever heard fading in. It's a shame they kept it at a low volume, but f*ck that. The calm bridge goes into the second part with probably the best guitar composition of the song. If you again listen carefully you'll hear that one guitar stays on one tone while the second goes higher and higher till it does the intro riff again. The singing is switched between singing and shouting, making it more unpredictable and different. After that the couplet riff is repeated for a short line, meant as an outro. I don't have problems with it, but it feels a little tiny-tiny bit forced. After a drumroll and a long shout from Rob the song stops. Wham! Stopped, making you think about the amazing experience you've just dealt with.
Do you see why I love it? The song features really different parts but all those parts go into each other perfectly. The length is great, the production is even greater, the vocals are the greatest of the three but the emotion and the feelings are just heavenily, and I'm being unnice right now. The emotion in this song is godly, this song is in my eyes the best metal song ever.
Grade 10/10
9. All Falls Down
Although this song isn't very popular amongst the people, I love it. The song starts with some weird guitar effects, followed by a smooth echoed guitar riff. The couplet is actually very calm, Rob is just talking and Dave puts in a funky drum. The pre-chorus is the heaviness we all know from Machine Head, just as the chorus itself. Although the chorus may not be very original, it just hits the right tone. With Rob singing "It All Falls Down" on the right tone. The song goes further with again the couplet, pre-chorus and chorus. The song has actually some really nice lyrics over it. I don't really know what it's all about, but it does it's job. when the chorus is ended the bridge comes in. It has some singing in it and some guitar, nothing too special till Adam comes in. With some really impressive bass- and second vocalwork he makes the bridge, that soon goes over in the second part, just as Seasons Wither and Days Turn Blue To Gray. The chorus is repeated as normal and the song is ended with some heavy riffs. A really, really, REALLY good song.
Grade 10/10
10. Wipe The Tears
This is the most angry song, and although I still like it a bit, it's the worst from the CD. The song starts immediately with the couplet with some agressive shouting and snare hitting. Before you know it, the song goes into the chorus. The most nu-metal chorus we've had till now. Rob shouts "Don't give up", "Don't give in". Don't give up to what? The lyrics seem to be very uninspired, pretty nu-metal. The worst thing is that the riffs aren't good either, it's all done numerous times before. Luckily the bridge is a really good one, but again it's too short. There are some high guitars that both take the lead. Adam Duce sings like he is an echo. The bridge is very emotional, but soon goes over in a third verse... AAAH!!! The verse is boring, and is followed by the simple and
not effective chorus. Then the song already ends. An average song, but the bridge makes up most for it.
Grade 7/10
11. Descend The Shades Of Night
The epic end of the song. Many call this a ballad, I don't. This song is not a ballad, it's an half acoustic, half distorted song. This song is the longest on the CD, but every single second is brilliant. Just like Seasons Wither. The song starts with some eerie effects from the guitar and soon goes into the acoustic ballad. The couplet features some really simple chords but they all flow perfectly with each other, creating a relaxing sound. Rob uses some of his best lyrics he has ever made, about dead or something. The pre-chorus is just some emotional humming and soft guitar. The chorus however is one of the best chorus's I've heard so far, with Rob singing on his most emotional and guitars that have a nice harmonic riff. The second couplet is half acoustic and half distorted, and really makes the song some more unpredictable while it's not chaotic. After that part, the second chorus comes with a steady beat and some higher singing. The solo and chorus is blend very well, with a guitar build up. The solo of Phil is really good, but is nothing compared to the dual solo. The dual solo.... the most beautiful solo I've ever heard, and an easy one. Rob and Phil play in harmonics the riff that is used trhoughout the solo. Don't forget the bass though, cause the bass sets the chords down to make the solo even more interesting. After some more riffs, the bridge goes into some heavy shouting. Rob hums some more, and the final chorus comes. It is easy to hear that this chorus is the ultimate climax, with more vocals that overlap each other. AWESOME!!!!!!!! Then the end already comes, with some more acoustic. It is really the best track along with Seasons Wither, I really love it so much...
Grade 10/10
Best Top 3:
1.Seasons Wither/Descend The Shades Of The Night.
2.Empty, in respect of the 2 songs above.
3.All Falls Down
Worst Top 3:
1.Wipe The Tears
2.Elegy
3.Imperium
Pros
-The instrumention is top! All the four guys rock and unlike many other bands they all have the same amount of talent. Which is pretty high.
-The way they build up and break down songs is just incredible. Also the ways the couplets and chorus blend into each other is perfectly done.
-Emotion used in songs is again very nice. Even though the songs are heavy, they use a lot of softer interludes, bridges and chorus. Soft or loud, they all have put emotion and feelings in their work.
-Lyrical, Rob Flynn is one of the best. Besides "Wipe the Tears" all the songs are top notch at lyrics. The themes differ much from each other, in the songs a lot of metaphors and deep words are used.
-They stopped with their nu-metal riffs which were really mediocre.
Cons
- Seasons wither was only released as an American bonus track. Man, it's along with the last track just the best of the cd.
- Because of the greatness of "Seasons Wither" and "Descend the Shades of Night", there is a great change that other tracks will be skipped very much, although they are actually also great.
You may call this review biased, or call me a fanboy. However, you may not call this album mediocre. Well I don't forbid you, but please don't say it to me. Along with Lateralus, Aenima (both Tool) and White Pony (Deftones), this is the best album I've ever heard. This is the main reason why Machine Head is along with Deftones and Tool my favorite band.
