Machine Head - The Blackening review
| Band: | Machine Head |
| Album: | The Blackening |
| Style: | Groove thrash metal, Progressive thrash metal |
| Release date: | March 2007 |
Disc I
01. Clenching The Fists Of Dissent
02. Beautiful Mourning
03. Aesthetics Of Hate
04. Now I Lay Thee Down
05. Slanderous
06. Halo
07. Wolves
08. A Farewell To Arms
09. Hallowed Be Thy Name [Iron Maiden cover] [bonus]
10. Battery [Metallica cover] [bonus]
Disc II [Special Edition Bonus CD - B-Sides/Rarities 1994-2008]
01. Hallowed Be Thy Name [Iron Maiden cover]
02. Alan's On Fire [Poison Idea cover]
03. Negative Creep [Nirvana cover]
04. Seasons Wither
05. My Misery
06. House Of Suffering [Bad Brains cover]
07. The Possibility Of Life's Destruction [Discharge cover]
08. Ten Ton Hammer (Extended Original Mix)
09. Hole In The Sky [Black Sabbath cover]
10. Colors [Ice-T cover]
11. Hard Times [Cro-Mags cover] [live]
12. Halo (I Want Your Soul) [demo 2005 version]
13. Aesthetics Of Hate (Thrash-terpiece) [demo 2005 version]
Disc III [Special Edition DVD]
01. Clenching The Fists Of Dissent [Live With Full Force 2008]
02. Now I Lay Thee Down [Live With Full Force 2008]
03. Halo [Live With Full Force 2008]
04. Aesthetics Of Hate [Live Rock In Rio 2008]
05. Davidian [Live Rock In Rio 2008]
06. Imperium [Live Download 2007]
07. Old [Live Download 2007]
08. A Thousand Lies [Live Burn My Eyes 10th Anniversary 2004]
09. The Rage To Overcome [Live Burn My Eyes 10th Anniversary 2004]
10. Death Church [Live Burn My Eyes 10th Anniversary 2004]
11. Blood For Blood [Live Burn My Eyes 10th Anniversary 2004]
+ Halo [video]
+ Now I Lay Thee Down [video]
+ Aesthetics Of Hate [video]
+ Making Of Feature For Each Video
Who said Thrash was on its way out? From the first listen, the first riff of 'Clenching The Fists Of Dissent', you could tell that this was not so. Since Machine Head's début, 'Burn My Eyes' in 1994, they have done what they do best. Playing top-notch Thrash Metal. And their latest effort 'The Blackening' is definitely their best release so far.
The Blackening has all the elements for a great record; awesome thrash-orientated riffs, brilliant solos, catchy melodies, choruses that will stick in your mind for days (no, it's not a bad thing), diversity, and Rob Flynn's brilliant vocals. The album has eight perfectly written songs, with several clocking in at almost 10 minutes. However, these ten minutes are filled with diversity; from acoustic interludes to mid tempo metal to all out thrash. 'The Blackening' has it all. The guitar work on the album is first-class. The riffs are heavy and fast, and never stop for the entirety of the album. The only thing that stops this Machine Head monstrosity is the acoustic interludes, which are chucked in here and there to add to the diversity of the album. The solos in the album are brilliant, melodic, fast, catchy, and will make you air guitar like you never have before.
Rob Flynn's job on vocals is filled with anger aimed at politics, including Bush and Iraq, as we can see in 'Clenching The Fists of Dissent', "Sing revolution's song, when they say die, die for America". His thrash vocals, as well as the change to clean vocals on certain tracks, are absolutely spot on the mark, and add to the total ferociousness of the album.
The Blackening is quite complex, and listeners will appreciate the depth that Machine Head has created in the album more and more with each listen. This is a must have album in any good metal collection.
Highlights: 'Clenching The Fists Of Dissent', 'Aesthetics Of Hate', 'Now I Lay Thee Down', and 'Halo'.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 10 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 10 |
Written by BurbotsRevenge | 27.11.2007
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Rating:
10
10
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Rating: 10 |
I absolutely hate hearing people say that whenever they hear an awesome album, they think it's the greatest thing ever to come since sliced bread, and the fact the people consider something perfect is complete crap. This is what bothers me the most about Machine Head and The Blackening: it may very well be the greatest thrash album ever created in this generation (meaning the 2000s only of course). Read more ›› |
Rating:
9.5
9.5
|
Rating: 9.5 |
Finally... Machine Head released an album in 2007 after four years of absence. Although not one of the biggest metal bands of the last 20 years (at that time), The Blackening was one of the most expected albums by all the fans or non-fans of the band. In my opinion, most of the fans wanted to see the direction the band was going to take. Machine Head had different styles through the years since their formation. In the entire album, one thing I have to say and honor is the outstanding performance of the band but mainly by Rob Flynn, finally he got a grip on his life, learned how to play guitar really well (before he almost never made a solo, in this album he makes solos in most of the songs), changed his life and that reflects in the entire album and his performance. Read more ›› |
Comments page 2 / 2
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Comments: 43
Visited by: 303 users
| Daggon Underpaid M.D. Posts: 1689  |
I gave it a try... it didn't amaze me more than any of the albums that Marcel mentioned above. Veeery overrated 
---- "Les vers savent qu'ils n'ont pas d'ailes, c'est pour cela qu'ils se cachent sous terre"
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| 3rdWorldFuckface Account deleted |
3rdWorldFuckface
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I'm looking frwd to listening to this..... just finished all their previous releases... 
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Written by Guest on 16.10.2011 at 18:16 *5 minutes later* Written by Guest on 16.10.2011 at 18:21 Wow.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Guest on 18.10.2011 at 06:13 Ohhhh you were paraphrasing what others were saying about the album. I see I see, my bad.  I thought you somehow digested the album 5 minutes after saying you were going to check it out and then you were claiming it to be one of the best albums of the decade. 
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| 3rdWorldFuckface Account deleted |
3rdWorldFuckface
Account deleted Written by Troy Killjoy on 18.10.2011 at 06:15 Hav just finished listenin to it.. Just what i thought..Not so fresh and dynamic as Through the ashes of the empire... and Album of the decade  ???? Don't think so.... 
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Guest on 21.10.2011 at 17:57 Ya it has definitely been overhyped since its release. I mean I thought it was decent, far from bad, but definitely not a legitimate contender for album of the decade.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Guest on 21.10.2011 at 21:08 I dunno. :s The same reason every Opeth release is overhyped, the same reason every new prog metal outfit is overhyped. Labels and zines get the ball rolling usually and then the online community picks up on that and it usually spirals out of control.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| 3rdWorldFuckface Account deleted |
3rdWorldFuckface
Account deleted Written by Troy Killjoy on 21.10.2011 at 23:33  Why cant they do it for the genuinely good albums ? ? ? ? There r so many gems in xtreme metal that is never picked up the Radar of mainstream media.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Guest on 22.10.2011 at 04:14 That's the constant struggle. Then those underground bands become popular and everyone shits on them when they become the next overhyped superstar metal band.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Void Eater Account deleted |
Void Eater
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"Rob Flynn's job on vocals is filled with anger aimed at politics, including Bush and Iraq" Writing negative lyrics towards the Bush administration in 2007? 
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