Metal Storm logo
Machine Head - Unto The Locust



8.3 | 724 votes |
Release date: 27 September 2011
Style: Groove thrash metal, Progressive thrash metal

Owners:

655 have it
52 want it
1 trades it


01. I Am Hell (Sonata In C#)
    1 - Sangre Sani
    2 - I Am Hell
    3 - Ashes To The Sky
02. Be Still And Know
03. Locust
04. This Is The End
05. Darkness Within
06. Pearls Before The Swine
07. Who We Are
08. The Sentinel [Judas Priest cover] [Special edition bonus]
09. Witch Hunt [Rush cover] [Special edition bonus]
10. Darkness Within [Acoustic version] [Special edition bonus]
+ The Making Of Unto The Locust [Documentary DVD] [Special edition bonus]

The best Thrash Metal album of 2011

Guest review by
AndMetalForAll
Rating:
7.2
I had big expectations for this album before the release but I must say I was a bit disappointed. After the 10 given by a famous musical entity I was expecting a mindblowing skull-crushing comeback album. Machine Head have been through a lot this last couple of years and most of that due to lack of direction in their musical style.

Read more ››
published 02.01.2012 | Comments (8)

Guest review by
Auntie Sahar
Rating:
6.8
When a band reaches the peak of their career, one of two options present themselves. They can either continue on the path of their career-peaking work, or try something new, in a different direction. In the latter case, more often than not, a shift in direction doesn't work out as well as the band planned. After Coma Of Souls, Kreator embarked on an experimentation with a more industrial sound, to a not-too-enthusiastic response from their fanbase. The same cases can be seen with Megadeth after Rust In Peace, Metallica after And Justice For All, and so on. The Blackening was (arguably) the peak album of Machine Head's career, and on the follow up, 2011's Unto The Locust, the band went with the second option: a change in sound. And while I wasn't expecting The Blackening, Volume 2, I must say that said sound change comes as a bit of a disappointment.

Read more ››
published 18.01.2012 | Comments (22)

Guest review by
Nemo Atkins
Rating:
8.5
Machine Head, the current band of former Vio-lence and Forbidden guitarist Robb Flynn, need no real introduction to most fans of thrash metal. Yet it is amazing how many people seem prepared to assume that all they've released that is worth listening to is Burn My Eyes/i] and/or The Blackening. I feel pretty differently: I honestly find Burn My Eyes unimpressive (admittedly, that may be due to me not being a fan of groove metal) and found The Blackening overly long, suffering from the usual problems I have with progressive music (namely, a fondness of writing unnecessarily long music that seems more intended to show off the musicians' skills rather than write something that an audience can enjoy listening to). I do not deny that they are good albums, merely that I do not agree when people refer to them as Machine Head's best albums. By contrast, I consider Unto The Locust to be their best album and one of the best albums of 2011: high praise indeed, considering it was an impulse buy for me for a band I'd never heard of.

Read more ››
published 18.09.2012 | Comments (3)

Guest review by
omne metallum
Rating:
7.7
How do you follow up an album widely regarded as a watershed moment in metal? Simply put, you often can't; it will be buried under the weight of expectation put upon it. Overachievement can be a damning thing for an album, and that is no exception here. Machine Head try to carry the magic over from The Blackening with some minor variations to differentiate from it. A valiant effort, and one that if taken in isolation a success. Alas, with the shadow looming large over it, the die was cast before it had a chance.

Read more ››
published 18.04.2020 | Comments (0)

25.09.2011
The songs are still too long at times, but the irressistible enegry that squirts from every note of this album is truly overwhelming. Machine Head have just released what could possibly be their best album since the classic Burn My Eyes.

Daniell's picks | More picks ››

Found in 74 lists
Top lists



Comments page 3 / 3

Comments: 90   Visited by: 1645 users
21.10.2011 - 19:25
Rating: 10
Vikcen
Metálico
Written by beyondtehdarksun on 21.10.2011 at 10:34

I love this album, while the blackening never impressed me THAT much! Only "Who we are" prevents me from rating this a 10... why did they had to add such an annoying song ??


Agree, neither impressed me (only the song Halo), but this last is truly great! =) By the way, mainly why don't you like that song Who we are ?
Loading...
26.10.2011 - 20:29
Rating: 9
beyondtehdarksun

Written by Vikcen on 21.10.2011 at 19:25
Agree, neither impressed me (only the song Halo), but this last is truly great! =) By the way, mainly why don't you like that song Who we are ?

The chorus. If you're gonna write a hymn to close the album, it should at least have a decent chorus. Every other song on the album has.
----
"We are blind to the world within us, waiting to be born"
Loading...
09.11.2011 - 20:28
John Shock

Written by Vikcen on 21.10.2011 at 19:25

Written by beyondtehdarksun on 21.10.2011 at 10:34

I love this album, while the blackening never impressed me THAT much! Only "Who we are" prevents me from rating this a 10... why did they had to add such an annoying song ??

Who We Are is awesome...just because there's a bunch of kinds singing on the start of the song doesn't take the taste of MH down...or the album! This album is awesome...of course not as awesome as The Blackening...but just near!
Loading...
18.11.2011 - 21:49
John Shock

This album keep growing in me, i will rate it 10 sooner...i don't believe my self but it's the true...this album is a masterpiece, at least for me and some of my friends! ..My opinion is what counts for me!
Loading...
10.12.2011 - 02:37
Rating: 8
fiyaskoyum

I was expecting a better album after 4 years silence. Blackening is the best album in 2000's and it may be a mistake to compate this album with blackening but still I was expecting a better job!
Loading...
01.01.2012 - 09:30
John Shock

Accept the reality....THIS....IS....NOT....THE BLACKENING....you fucking dumb asses! This is a change,...way way different from The Blackening...of course it can't compete against it but surely is a great album in that genre...from which is way different from The Blackening! ...Just accept that...Machine Head, in someway did something different...and just because "it's not better or it's not something like The Blackening it doesn't have to be so underrated"...and i don't know why...DENIED!...shit...
Loading...
01.01.2012 - 10:34
Rating: 7
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by John Shock on 01.01.2012 at 09:30
...shit...

Dude... you seriously need to relax before you post. Maybe go beat up a punching bag or something when you see someone else stating their opinion if you can't carry on an intelligent conversation without going into a Neanderthal-like frenzy.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
Loading...
01.01.2012 - 14:41
John Shock

Written by Troy Killjoy on 01.01.2012 at 10:34

Written by John Shock on 01.01.2012 at 09:30
...shit...

Dude... you seriously need to relax before you post. Maybe go beat up a punching bag or something when you see someone else stating their opinion if you can't carry on an intelligent conversation without going into a Neanderthal-like frenzy.

i freak out i know...this is not the first time i freak out and you know it...but seriously...this time i don't hurt anyone feelings...i just give my sincere opinion...
Loading...
01.01.2012 - 20:31
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Tried giving this a proper listen but I gave up at track 3. So very, very unnecessarily long and not particularly interesting. I'll just stick with Burn My Eyes methinks.
Loading...
02.01.2012 - 16:23
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Guest on 01.01.2012 at 20:31

I'll just stick with Burn My Eyes methinks.


Still their best by miles. The overrated The Blackening isn't even allowed to tie Burn My Eyes' shoelaces
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

Loading...
14.01.2012 - 10:25
Rating: 8
NocturnalStalker
Metal Addict
I also didn't like "The Blackening" all too much. As for this album, it's pretty good, in my opinion. But what doesn't allow me to give it a higher rating is the fact that I really enjoyed some songs (I Am Hell, Locust, Darkness Within), while some of them were much less memorable.
----
"And we are not who we think we are
We are who we're afraid to be"
- Lux Occulta "The Opening of Eleventh Sephirah"
Loading...
03.03.2012 - 16:40
Zap
Guest
Written by AndMetalForAll on 13.10.2011 at 23:35

Just take a look to albums of this decade...what can you find?? that puts The Blackening out?

Not sure if you mean Thrash or Metal or music in general but in each case I can find a lot of albums that are better than The Blackening.
Loading...
21.03.2012 - 02:17
Rating: 8
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
My album of the year for 2011. Brilliant.
----
The sun shines over The Fool...
Loading...
31.03.2012 - 06:55
Rating: 10
BlindToNegotiate

Seriously my favorite Machine Head album. Sheer genius. Darkness Within is a bit too commercial for me, but still a fantastic song. This should easily suffice me until their next (and hopefully better) album comes out.
Loading...
07.04.2012 - 21:33
Rating: 8
musicalkaratekid

A lot of people seem to be criticizing this album for its radical departure from the aggression and fast-paced technicality of 'The Blackening', but i actually prefer this one. I praise the band for using (in the right way, no less) operatic choirs with the opening and closing tracks, and although the songs are considerably shorter, they seem to be straight to the point and not unnecessarily lengthened by predictable solos. I have never been a fan of Machine head in all honesty, but i take this album to be one of their most creative.
Loading...
01.06.2012 - 00:59
neiluria

This is a brilliant album and surely one of the best of machine head
Loading...
26.08.2012 - 17:27
Rating: 6
jp

This albums contains, in my opinion, only three fantastic songs, meaning great melodies, technicality and creativity:

I am Hell. Be still and Know. and This is the End.

Overall I'm still disappointed.
Loading...
06.09.2012 - 19:13
Rating: 8
Angry Chair

I really enjoyed this album and its the album I heard first off them, It indeed is a grower.

My favorite songs from this album are:

Darkness Within ( just like my user name, my all time favorite machine head song )
Pearls before the swine
The sentinel (bonus track, Judas priest cover which I think is better than the original as I don't like Judas priest)

Its a good 8/10 would not go any higher than that though.

Blackening was better.
----
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."
- Denis Diderot
Loading...
01.12.2012 - 16:34
Rating: 9
bblitz

Wonderful album,the power that drives it is just amazing.
Loading...
06.03.2013 - 13:32
3rdWorld
China was a neat
Love the inclusion of blast beats. And just like Marcel said, this one is really a lot more standable than the utterly boring The blackening.
Loading...
17.06.2014 - 10:39
Rating: 10
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
I am on the first listenings and this one souds amazing. though 7 songs are too few... i like that it doesnt have 10 minute songs... already i love songs like "this is the end", "be still and know" and "darkness within" but generally it seems there is not a second of "filler"...

EDIT: after finishing the listenings, this is my first "10" after more than 2 years! WOW!
----
Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
Loading...
14.08.2014 - 00:29
HyperDrifter

Good album, though it is not as consistent or well written as The Blackening
Loading...
14.01.2015 - 00:09
Rating: 9
Toxik

Well i like Burn My Eyes but i somehow i prefer The Blackening and Unto The Locust
Don't understand the hate this one seems to get
Loading...
14.01.2015 - 11:14
Rating: 6
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
Written by Toxik on 14.01.2015 at 00:09

Don't understand the hate this one seems to get


Two sides of this story-

1. Ones who appraising UTL is because they think The Blackening is overrated or boring album with few good songs and thinking this is the step up from former.

2. And the ones who hate or hating it is because they incorporated progressive into bland, uninsipred and horrendous playmaking and shifting this record to bad-one-likes "Supercharger"/"The Burning Red".

It's for sure nothing beats Burn My Eyes but Unto comes out to be very average record with lot of songs stretched tirelessly into unecessary riffs, bass and weak drumming. My first taste on this was veey sour and I coudn't finish upto 4th song(though i sat and finished til end). I found a very interesting and amusing fact on lovin' Unto The Locust is people who despise The Blackening is loving this disc quite a lot. I don't know but appraisal on this has lot to do with The Blackening.
Loading...
14.01.2015 - 16:37
Rating: 9
Toxik

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 14.01.2015 at 11:14

Written by Toxik on 14.01.2015 at 00:09

Don't understand the hate this one seems to get


Two sides of this story-

1. Ones who appraising UTL is because they think The Blackening is overrated or boring album with few good songs and thinking this is the step up from former.

2. And the ones who hate or hating it is because they incorporated progressive into bland, uninsipred and horrendous playmaking and shifting this record to bad-one-likes "Supercharger"/"The Burning Red".

It's for sure nothing beats Burn My Eyes but Unto comes out to be very average record with lot of songs stretched tirelessly into unecessary riffs, bass and weak drumming. My first taste on this was veey sour and I coudn't finish upto 4th song(though i sat and finished til end). I found a very interesting and amusing fact on lovin' Unto The Locust is people who despise The Blackening is loving this disc quite a lot. I don't know but appraisal on this has lot to do with The Blackening.

Well i like The Blackening only feel that some moments are unnacessery
And i lke Burn My Eyes but it dosn't "hit" me the way as everyone
Loading...
15.01.2015 - 08:23
Rating: 6
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
Written by deadone on 15.01.2015 at 00:53

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 14.01.2015 at 11:14

2. And the ones who hate or hating it is because they incorporated progressive into bland, uninsipred and horrendous playmaking and shifting this record to bad-one-likes "Supercharger"/"The Burning Red".


I think the problem with Machine Head are as follows:


Everything granted except,

Quote:
The progressive component is irrelevant


You misunderstood me. I was saying about incorporating progressive ELEMENT on Unto The Locust record not developing of music from career hit Burn My Eyes to Diamonds(in our case til Unto The Locust). If we take a graph out of excel sheet of Machine Head, fuck as hell they're going downward with creativity, music and overall dimension of being a Machine Head. Yeah, Flynn is dickhead, force his ideas in studios while everyone just follows them 'cause they think he is one of the talented musician. Well, his terrible work is seeing us from quite a while.
Loading...
08.04.2015 - 03:57
Maco
Pvt Funderground
This one is worse than The Blackening, it has energy but the songs are more boring than the previous, with only 2 good-great songs, the rest is average. I'm thinking on listening the record that was released last year, or maybe I could listen Burn My Eyes for the first time...
----
Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
Loading...
29.05.2023 - 19:49
Rating: 6
LordFezzington
Lost To Apathy
Does this album have its good moments? Sure. But it's also chock full of cringe moments right out of the gate - the 'Sangre Sani' chanting on 'I Am Hell' really grates in an otherwise solid song and the less said about 'Who We Are' the better. No song here has ever had me rushing back since its release.

Well, except 'The Sentinel' cover, because that rips.
----
"Pay no heed to anyone and do what seems right to yourself." - Franz Kafka, The Trial
2022 List: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=7001
2021 List: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6742
Loading...
29.05.2023 - 21:36
A Real Mönkey

Written by LordFezzington on 29.05.2023 at 19:49

Does this album have its good moments? Sure. But it's also chock full of cringe moments right out of the gate - the 'Sangre Sani' chanting on 'I Am Hell' really grates in an otherwise solid song and the less said about 'Who We Are' the better. No song here has ever had me rushing back since its release.

Well, except 'The Sentinel' cover, because that rips.

Honestly I spin Locust more than anything by Machine Head. It's a banger of a song.

I also kinda remember This Is The End being catchy, and as you said the Sentinel cover is pretty boss as well.
----
"Change the world. My final message. Goodbye."

~Last words of Harambe, seconds before he was shot, according to child he shielded from gunfire
Loading...
30.05.2023 - 10:46
Rating: 9
nonZero

'Who We Are' is pretty cringe but the rest of the album is great. Their 3rd best after The Blackening and Burn My Eyes IMO.

9.0/10 for me - 'Locust' is the standout track, 'Be Still And Know', 'Darkness Within' and 'Pearls Before The Swine' are also great.
----
Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)
Loading...

Hits total: 34385 | This month: 46