Machine Head
“Burn My Eyes” (Roadrunner Records, 1994)

Well, dissecting an album, especially an old one, from such a renowned band, is always a hard task. Machine Head is a band I like a lot up until the “Burning Red”, an album that made plenty of fans drop to their knees and cry. The amount of backlash that the band got almost made people forget that Slayer released “Diabolus in Musica” … now think about that. Back to topic. Machine Head released their first, and probably best album, in 1994, via Roadrunner Records (that label that went on to spread the Nu-metal virus throughout the planet…). Groove might be the word that better describes the album, in my opinion. This is a Thrash record, no doubt; nonetheless, it has this stomping groove that is electrifying. Konto’s drumming plays a major role in that. The power, the attitude, the pace… everything about this album works perfectly. The band has not yet been able to top this release, in my opinion. Robb’s vocals have never sounded so good, raw, visceral almost. Full of anger and aggression. It does help when the music asks for such a directed performance.

From “Davidian” to “Block”, this is a Hell of a ride, and this album is up there with the best from the 90ies, no doubt. Machine Head have always sounded, at this point in their career, to a fusion of bands like Pantera and Biohazard. Both bands have a very groovy structure, which gives more “flavor” to the music, and Machine Head has that. Slayer is also there, of course, but I guess most bands from that moment in time have a bit of slayer in them. The band was relentless at this stage, and the sound gave out hints that these musicians were taking no prisoners, and destruction was in front of you, close by.

“A Nation on Fire” has this beautiful intro, that short guitar riff that sets the mood… and then it blows. These details were one of the things that pulled me into this record. It is not just a whooping session; it is a session in class and good music.  And they do it again in “I’m your God”; the same structure. Robb drops it down and provides a very nice performance, and when the music explodes, the transition is perfect. The way the chorus kicks in… hellish. Last track brings it to a closure, Pantera style! The bass exists for a reason, pull it forward!

The band went on to record their 2nd best album - “The More Things Change” - then their 3rd - “The Burning Red”, and I do not know what they did next. Lie. I know; I loathed it. Well, they recorded a lot of albums but were never able to seduce me into their music, again. Lost fans, gained fans, toured the World, started playing Thrash Metal without that extra element that made them stand-out. Options which are not to be judged by those that know nothing about music.  With that… “A Nation on Fire”.