Released via: Nuclear Blast
Production: Robb Flynn, Zack Ohren, Colin Richardson, Chris Clancy
Release date: August 26, 2022
Album length: 59:22/70:00 (special edition)
The last few years have been pretty turbulent for California metallers Machine Head. After the poorly received Catharsis, longtime members Phil Demmel (guitar) and Dave McClain (drums) left the band. Critics mostly didn’t like the band’s return to nu metal waters, or the over-the-top experimenting. Robb Flynn was left almost on his own, with only bassist Jared MacEachern by his side, who obviously still saw some hope. Still, Flynn didn’t throw in the towel. He kept writing and brought in new members, who also helped out on the road. In 2019 Machine Head wrapped up a successful tour celebrating 25 years of their debut Burn My Eyes. On that run Flynn played a long set with two lineups, which won back at least some trust in the band, or at least enough to show they’re still rock-solid live.
The negative reviews clearly hit home, much like after Supercharger (2001). Flynn took a more aggressive approach, though the singles Do or Die, Circle The Drain and Civil Unrest didn’t exactly win everyone over. My Hands Are Empty, on the other hand, was far more convincing, and former guitarist Logan Mader even helped out on it. Flynn and company were slowly getting back on track. The song ended up on the album in the end, too. The EP Arrow and Words from the Sky, which is also included on the album, was even more convincing. Robb Flynn teased new material for quite a while before revealing he’d gathered enough to record a new album.
Flynn had a fair bit of trouble with the new album, since it was recorded under tough pandemic conditions. English drummer Matt Alston, among other things, couldn’t get to the US to track the drums and could only contribute ideas. The drums were instead recorded by seasoned pro Navene Koperweis (Entheos, ex-Animals as Leaders), who took already intense drumming up another notch. Experienced Wacław “Vogg” Kiełtyka (Decapitated), who had already helped Machine Head on tour, also chipped in with ideas. Sometime early this year Flynn finally revealed that a new album was in the works, one that would be as epic as The Blackening (2007), though Flynn is known to exaggerate a bit. He’s also known to be capable of delivering the goods.
The album opens on a promising note with the ten-minute epic Slaughter the Martyr, which, after three minutes of gentle instrumental intro with emotional vocals, bursts open with heavy riffs and a crushing rhythm section, and Flynn naturally switches to angrier vocals. It all sounds a lot like Clenching the Fists of Dissent from The Blackening. You can definitely feel that the inspiration came straight from that track. This undeniably epic start hints at a pretty promising ride. With the next track, Choke on the Ashes of Your Hate, Machine Head clearly show no signs of letting up. The thrash-loaded song boasts a powerful chorus, a breakdown and a solo. It works as a great mix of the new and older style. With Become The Firestorm, Machine Head add a black/death metal touch, and Koperweis’s drumming really stands out, as he obviously got a bit more of a free hand and “blasts” through a good chunk of the song. The melodic chorus is a bit annoying and feels slightly forced, but luckily a strong breakdown and solo more or less even it out.
To take the edge off all that destruction, the album has short interludes, which the band used to build the right atmosphere for the concept as a whole. Machine Head go a bit more emotional with My Hands Are Empty and Unhallowed. You can feel a bit of the influence of the much-hated Catharsis, but these two songs hit harder, have excellent groove, and the lyrics are no longer at angry-teenager level. Logan Mader even contributed his ideas to My Hands Are Empty, and it feels like a shame he didn’t contribute a few more.
It’s obvious that thrash metal was a much bigger influence than on the predecessor. Machine Head prove it pretty convincingly with Kill Thy Enemies, which only eases off with its melodic chorus. Once again it doesn’t go without clichés, which are present in healthy doses, but you can’t skip the “OooOOOooo” chants, which really stand out on No Gods No Masters. Luckily the song still packs enough of that typical MH punch that it doesn’t end up being annoying. Bloodshot, which guitarist Vogg also helped write, will be approved of mostly by fans of the first two albums, because it sounds like it was written back in the Burn My Eyes days and the band simply forgot about it. Definitely another pleasant surprise on the album. MH serve up something in a similar vein with Rotten, which blends groove and aggression perfectly.
To close things out, Machine Head chose Arrows in Words from the Sky, which they already introduced last year. It’s a pretty logical choice, with a strong emotional charge up front, something Machine Head have proven before with many a closer. True, the song doesn’t have the epic scope of those on previous albums, but it still doesn’t feel like filler. The circle, or the concept, closes in a way that makes sense, and it’s safe to say the album is neither dry nor monotonous.
If you look a bit closer at the details of how the album was made, it’s more than obvious that Robb Flynn left nothing to chance. These days it’s much easier to hire a professional musician who’ll quickly and efficiently record their part of an album, which is confirmed by the fact that the drums were tracked by a very experienced drummer. Another thing is that quite a few seasoned people worked on the production and post-production, including the legend Colin Richardson. On top of that, it’s worth stressing that Flynn also got help with the lyrics from one of the busiest producers in metal today, Will Putney (Fit For An Autopsy). Of Kingdom And Crown is definitely a very well-thought-out and polished piece of work. It’s not an album that was recorded in a hurry. The sound engineers made sure that, in keeping with tradition, the sound is full, rich and, above all, clear. You can definitely hear and feel that a pretty hefty chunk of money was invested in this one.
The album will most likely thrill the band’s fans, and for some it will even win back their trust in the band. Above all, it needs to be said that Machine Head are clearly not down for the count yet. Flynn and company obviously still have a few surprises up their sleeves.
9/10
Tracklist:
1. SLAUGHTER THE MARTYR
2. CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE
3. BECØME THE FIRESTØRM
4. ØVERDØSE
5. MY HANDS ARE EMPTY
6. UNHALLØWED
7. ASSIMILATE
8. KILL THY ENEMIES
9. NØ GØDS, NØ MASTERS
10. BLØØDSHØT
11. RØTTEN
12. TERMINUS
13. ARRØWS IN WØRDS FRØM THE SKY
