MH on Kerrang's "Maiden Heaven"! 06.25.08   Following on from their 2006 Kerrang! Remastered CD in honor of the 20th anniversary of Metallica's "Master Of Puppets", Kerrang's latest collection "Maiden Heaven" features 15 bands covering tracks spanning Iron Maiden's legendary career, and will be given away free in Kerrang! issue 1219 on sale July 16th! "When I was a kid, Iron Maiden were a very big deal to me and the influence they had on Machine Head has been huge" says Robb Flynn. "We decided to cover 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' for this CD because it's just such a great song, in fact it's a classic. I just love the way the vocal line goes up and down, so dramatic. If someone who'd never heard them wanted to know what Iron Maiden sounded like, I'd point them in the direction of 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'." Click here to see the full cover, and read on for the full tracklist: Black Tide - "Prowler" Metallica - "Remember Tomorrow" Avenged Sevenfold - "Flash Of The Blade" Glamour Of The Kill - "2 Minutes To Midnight" Coheed and Cambria - "The Trooper" DevilDriver - "Wasted Years" Sign - "Run To The Hills" Dream Theater - "To Tame A Land" Madina Lake - "Caught Somewhere In Time" Gallows - "Wrathchild" Fightstar - "Fear Of The Dark" Machine Head - "Hallowed Be Thy Name" Trivium - "Iron Maiden" Year Long Disaster - "Running Free" Ghostlines - "Brave New World" MH In This Month's Revolver! 06.18.08   Revolver's August issue features coverage of this summer's Mayhem Festival including an interview with Machine Head! Click here to check out Robb Flynn on the cover, and be sure to pick up your copy, on sale now! Machine Head Win Golden Gods Award! 06.16.08   Machine Head took home the 2008 Golden Gods award for "Best Live Band" at Saturday's Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, the second year in a row that MH have walked away from a Metal Hammer awards show with honors! Last year, Machine Head won "Album Of The Year" for their new album "The Blackening", and Robb Flynn was given a Golden God award! Huge thanks go out to all of you that voted! Electric Weekend Photos! 06.11.08   Machine Head's raging performance at Electric Weekend in Madrid on May 31st was captured in all of its glory, and then some, in 80+ amazing shots by photographer Henning Gulli! Summer Off-Dates Announced! 06.08.08   In an effort to get out to a few areas that the Mayhem Festival won't be able to reach this summer, Mastodon, Machine Head and Black Tide will joining forces and heading to Portland, Vegas and New York for a few off-dates during their run on the blockbuster summer festival. Hit the Tours page for details! "Halo" Video Exclusive World Premiere! 05.28.08   Tune in to MTV2's Headbanger's Ball this Saturday, May 31st at 11pm PT/ET for the exclusive world premiere of the video for "Halo"! Demmelition King V Available Now! 05.02.08   Phil Demmel's Jackson Pro Series Signature guitar - the aptly-titled Demmelition King V - is now available from Jackson! Click here to visit Jackson's site for more details! MH Nominated For Golden Gods Award! 04.16.08   Metal Hammer has nominated Machine Head for the 2008 Golden Gods award for Best Live Band! Voting is open to the public, and it only takes three quick clicks! One here, one on "Best Live Band" and one on "Machine Head", so vote as often as you'd like! Halo Video Shoot Photos! 04.08.08   Fans from around the world answered the casting call to be a part of Machine Head's upcoming video for the song "Halo", and it was a raging success! Directed by Mike Sloat (Aesthetics Of Hate, Imperium, Days Turn Blue To Gray) and shot entirely in front of a green screen, the footage will all be digitally manipulated to mimic the style of the artwork from the packaging for Machine Head's new album "The Blackening". With shooting set to wrap up in the next few days, you can plan on seeing the new video sometime in May! For photos from last Thursday's shoot and a sneak peek at what you can expect to see, head on over to the Photos page! Wacken Seaside, With Full Force & Moscow! 03.17.08   Three new dates have been confirmed for Moscow on July 2nd, Germany's With Full Force festival on July 4th and Wacken Rocks Seaside Open Air on July 5th! Head on over to the Tours page for details and ticket links. Machine Head Will Play In Portland 02.24.08   Having had to cancel last night's performance in Seattle after Robb Flynn came down with a severe bronchial infection, Machine Head are pleased to announce that they will indeed be playing in Portland tonight. Machine Head Cancel Seattle Performance 02.23.08   Machine Head's Seattle performance on the "More Balls, More Volume, More Strength" tour had to be cancelled Saturday night after Robb Flynn came down with what is, according to doctors, a severe bronchial infection. As many of you know, the band absolutely hate the idea of cancelling a performance, and as such extend their sincerest apologies to the fans in Seattle that weren't able to see them tonight. Flynn's condition unfortunately calls into question the status of tomorrow's performance in Portland as well, so stay tuned, we'll be sure to let you know as soon as possible if the band will again be unable to play. MH Supporting Metallica For 4 More! 02.21.08   In the wake of their blistering performance at Wembley Stadium last July, Machine Head will once again be supporting Metallica for four more shows: Chorzow, Poland on May 28th, Madrid, Spain on May 31st, Prague, Czech Republic on June 3rd and Lisbon, Portugal on June 5th! Said Metallica in a recent statement, "We're psyched that our friends in Machine Head have said 'yes' to more fun and games following the good times that were had by all at Wembley last summer" ...and even more are sure to follow, so head on over to the Tours page for more details, including links to grab your tickets before they're all gone! Headbanger's Ball Podcast: Robb Flynn 02.20.08   Robb Flynn recently conducted a half-hour podcast interview for MTV's Headbanger's Ball Blog Podcast, click here to check it out. Dave McClain Misses Wisconsin Shows 02.13.08   The Machine Head family wishes to extend our deepest condolences and sympathy to the McClain family for the tragic loss of Dave's mother, Mary Douglas. Dave was on the first flight to San Antonio, Texas yesterday so that he could be there with his sister. The resulting circumstances understandably but unfortunately forced the band to cancel Tuesday night's performance on late notice, and Machine Head would like to sincerely thank all of the fans in Green Bay, Wisconsin for their understanding. The band were, however, able to perform tonight (Wednesday night), in La Crosse, WI, once again with the amazing help of their metal brothers, as Mark Castillo from Bury Your Dead, Robb Rivera from Nonpoint and Vinnie Paul from HellYeah all stepped up to help Machine Head perform. Mark Castillo played drums on Imperium, Now I Lay Thee Down and Davidian, Robb Rivera played drums on Aesthetics of Hate and Old, and Vinnie Paul played drums on Halo. Says vocalist Robb Flynn, "Having just went through a similar situation not 2 months ago, it's really a testament to metal, to see guys and their crews come together like this for another comrade in need... they really fucking brought it tonight for Dave!" Adds guitarist Phil Demmel, "We'd like to thank our friends who filled in admirably in Dave's absence, on 4 hours notice they learned the songs and gave La Crosse a serious ass-kicking". Dave McClain will be returning for the Davenport, IA show this Friday, February 15th, and wishes to extend his sincerest apologies to the fans of Green Bay and La Crosse, he was incredibly moved by the support and wishes from everyone there. RIP, Mary Douglas Machine Head Headliner In Japan! 02.11.08   Machine Head have confirmed an upcoming headlining gig at O-East in Tokyo, Japan on March 18th, their first headlining, non-festival performance there since the year 2000! Says drummer Dave McClain of the opportunity, "We're so stoked to be getting back to Japan, especially as a headliner, the crowds there are always sick". Adds lead guitarist Phil Demmel, "I'm definitely excited, it'll be my first time headlining with MH in Japan, so I can't wait". Tickets go on sale February 23rd, so be ready to snatch yours up, 'cause they won't last long! Watch the Grammy.com Pre-Tel Webcast! 02.08.08   For the first time in Grammy Awards history, the Pre-Telecast awards presentation will be broadcast live online on Sunday, February 10! By heading over to Grammy.com from 1-3:30pm PST, you will be able to view awards given in each category announced during the Pre-Tel, including the "Best Metal Performance" category, in which Machine Head has been nominated for "Aesthetics Of Hate"! Mayhem Festival Announced! 01.31.08   In what's sure to be the hottest concert ticket of the summer, Machine Head will be headlining the second stage at the first-ever Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, a riotous road show packed with some of hard music's most influential artists and a plethora of the genre's most exciting young voices. Featuring Slipknot, Disturbed, Dragonforce and Mastodon on the main stage, Sevendust, Airbourne, Five Finger Death Punch and 36 Crazyfists on the JÄGERMEISTER stage, and Machine Head, Black Tide, Suicide Silence, The Red Chord and Walls Of Jericho on the second stage, this is sure to be THE festival you won't want to miss! The tour is set to kick off July 9th at the White River Amphitheatre in Seattle and will hit 30 cities in the U.S. and Canada between early July and late August (a full itinerary will be announced in the coming weeks). The Blackening Wins Swedish Metal Award 01.30.08   Machine Head's new album "The Blackening" won "Best International Metal Album" at the Swedish Metal Awards 2008 this last Saturday, January 26th in Falkenberg, Sweden! Winners were selected from more than 58,000 fan votes which were submitted via an Internet-based poll on the Swedish Metal Awards web site. End-of-Year Accolades Pour In 01.10.08   It was a busy 2007 for Machine Head and their new album "The Blackening"... from receiving glowing 5/5 and 10/10 reviews upon release, to winning "Best Album"/"Album of the Year" at the Kerrang! and Metal Hammer Awards respectively, to winning "Best International Album" at the Danish Metal Awards, all the way to their Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance", it's been anything but ordinary, and it didn't let up when it came to end-of-year Best-Of lists, polls and awards either. "The Blackening" was awarded "#1 Album of the Year" by the Metal Hammer's Critic's Poll, "Thrash Album of the Decade!" by Hard Rock France, "#3 Album of the Year" by Kerrang!'s readers and "#3 Album of the Year" by Kerrang!'s critics, "#1 Thrash Album of the Year" by Hammer Germany, "#3 Album of the Year" by Rocksound, "Band of the Year" and "Album of the Year" by Total Guitar, "Best Band" and "Best Live Band" by Terrorizer readers... the list seems to go on and on and on. Even the traditionally unsupportive U.S. press had to bow down and take notice, with Revolver putting the album at #5 on its Album of the Year list, calling it "the finest Thrash album of the year", Guitar World naming it "#1 Extreme Metal Album of the Year", Metal Maniacs' critics putting it at #3 on their Album of the Year list, and über-elitists Decibel grudgingly including it at #21 on their list. To top it all off, The Blackening was the #1 most spun record on Sirius Radio's Hard Attack, Grammy nominated "Aesthetics Of Hate" was the #1 most requested song on Hard Attack and Machine Head's 2007 Download performance was #7 on Kerrang!'s "Top 100 Greatest Gigs of All Time"! Needless to say, it's been a hell of a year... bring on 2008! Machine Head To Join HellYeah Tour 01.08.08   Fresh off the heels of their overwhelmingly successful Black Crusade run through Australia and Europe, Machine Head return to the States for a run of dates with HellYeah, beginning January 25th in New York. Immediately following that, the band head back to Dubai to play the Desert Rock festival, then to Israel and India, both for the first-time ever, followed by a string of headlining dates in Japan, to be confirmed soon. For more information on confirmed dates, visit the Tours page! Demmel Returns For Black Crusade's Last Show 12.17.07   Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel, having flown back to the States less than a week prior to mourn the loss of his father, returned Friday night for the final show of The Black Crusade tour in Helsinki, Finland, capping off an incredible tour and incredible year for the band. Having received an enormous amount of help in his absence, and in essence salvaging Machine Head's ability to even finish the remainder of the tour, various guitarists from the other bands on The Black Crusade filled in on various songs to help the band complete the last 4 of the 5 shows. Corey Beaulieu from Trivium played on "Clenching The Fists Of Dissent", "Imperium" and "Aesthetics Of Hate". Frédéric Leclercq, the bass player from Dragonforce filled in on "Old". Matt Heafy from Trivium played on "Halo" and "Take My Scars". Christopher Amott from Arch Enemy played on "Descend The Shades Of Night", and... Matt Heafy returned again for "Davidian". All of them did an amazing job, and Machine Head can't thank them all enough for the help they gave, especially at such an incredibly difficult time. Respect. You need Flash to use this player. Singer / Guitarist Robb Flynn wishes to offer his apologies to the people of Stockholm, Sweden for his inability to move during Tuesday night's performance at The Arenan as he was suffering from food poisoning and the flu. He was enduring severe vomiting and diarrhea before and after the show, and required 4 different medications and an intravenous glucose feed 3 hours prior to the set just to be able to perform. Machine Head wish to sincerely thank the nearly 70,000 fans who came out to make The Black Crusade such a huge success (with several promoters calling it the biggest tour to hit the UK and Europe since the legendary Clash Of The Titans Tour 15 years ago), and for making it all such an amazing experience through and through. Much respect to the all of the bands on the tour as well for pulling together to make this such an unprecedented bill. Our sincerest thanks. At Phil Demmel's Request, MH To Continue Tour 12.08.07   All of us here in Machine Head wish to extend our deepest condolences and sympathy to the Demmel family for their tragic loss of Harry W. Demmel. Flying home today to grieve with his family and celebrate the life of his father, Phil has asked that Machine Head continue on in his absence for what will most likely be the remainder of the Black Crusade tour. Says singer Robb Flynn, "Phil was adamant about us continuing on. We didn't think it would be possible, but a lot of the guitar players on the tour rallied around Phil last night and volunteered to help out on guitar duties. We really can't thank them all enough. Adam and I spent most of our day off today teaching Corey and Matt from Trivium, Christopher from Arch Enemy, and Frederic the bassist of Dragonforce the set. They will all be playing various songs throughout the rest of the tour". Regarding Friday night's show in Zurich, Flynn adds, "We left it up to Phil as to whether we would play last night, and he was very sure of the fact that he needed to play. He wanted to keep moving and not dwell on it until the next day. It was one of the most courageous things I've ever seen, I honestly don't know how he did it. To the amazing people of Zurich who stood by the band, and supported us so much last night, we were all crying, and Phil and all of us felt the love more than you will ever know. Thank you." Play the video below for an update from Germany regarding the situation. In other news, as has been reported in the media, Phil Demmel did indeed collapse onstage Thursday night in Milan, Italy. Demmel was suffering from the flu at the time and was severely dehydrated. Says drummer Dave McClain, "Thankfully, he was fine from the fall, his blood pressure was normal, and the medical technicians that arrived on scene all felt that he was ok. Machine Head wish to extend our gratitude to the good people of Milan for being so understanding at the end of our show." You need Flash to use this player. Machine Head Nominated For a Grammy! 12.06.07   Machine Head have been nominated for a Grammy for "Best Metal Performance" for the song "Aesthetics Of Hate" off of their new album "The Blackening"! Determined by 12,000 music industry professionals who belong to the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the nomination marks Machine Head's first nod from the group, and places them alongside genre peers Slayer, King Diamond, Shadows Fall and As I Lay Dying in the category. Held at Los Angeles' Staples Center on Sunday, February 10, 2008, the 50th Annual Grammy Awards will air on CBS. MH Sweep Total Guitar Reader Awards! 12.03.07   Machine Head have been voted "Band Of the Year" and their new album "The Blackening" has been voted "Best Album" by the readers of Total Guitar magazine! Be sure to pick up your copy of the the Total Guitar Readers Awards 2007 issue (click to view cover) and check out the MH feature! MH Win Best International Album! 11.19.07   Machine Head's new album "The Blackening" took home "Best International Album" at the Danish Metal Awards this weekend, beating out Down's "Over The Under", Deftones' "Saturday Night Wrist", Neurosis' "Given To the Rising" and Type O Negative's "Dead Again"! Black Crusade Tickets Flying Fast! 11.06.07   Following hot on the heels of the completely sold out Black Crusade Tour of Australia, tickets to this Fall's massive Black Crusade Tour through Europe and the U.K. are disappearing quickly, with shows in Lille, Dublin, London, Paris and Koln already sold out, with the 2nd shows in Paris and London, as well as Amsterdam, Wiesbaden, and Birmingham about to do the same some time next week. Make sure you get your tickets now, before they're all gone! In other news, Machine Head's new album "The Blackening" has been nominated for "International Metal Album of the Year" at the Danish Metal Awards! London and Dublin Sold Out 10.25.07   The first London show and the Dublin stop on The Black Crusade tour have now officially sold out, so make sure you snag your tickets to the remaining shows before they're gone! In related news, the support bands for the two Black Crusade warm-up shows have been announced, with Zuul FX opening in Lille, FRA and up-and-coming thrashers Evile and Gama Bomb kicking things off in Dublin, IRE. Korea and New Zealand Shows Cancelled 10.16.07   Due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, Machine Head sincerely regret that they will be unable to play their upcoming shows in Korea and New Zealand. Insurmountable difficulties arose while attempting to secure passports and work visas, preventing the band from getting the necessary clearances from the respective consulates in time to enter and perform in both countries. The band extend their deepest regret to the fans in Korea and New Zealand that were looking forward to these shows, Machine Head was also looking forward to playing both shows, and they are extremely disappointed that they now cannot. They will, however, be making every effort to return to both countries as soon as possible, and want you to know that they deeply appreciate your support and understanding. *** UPDATE *** The following statement was recently made in response to a press release supposedly issued by NZ promoter Peter Campbell: A STATEMENT FROM KMW PRODUCTIONS (THE ACTUAL PROMOTER OF MACHINE HEAD IN NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA) I feel that we need to address the erroneous, outrageous statement issued by an external contractor connected with Peter Campbell, our New Zealand representative without the consent or approval of Mr. Campbell or the actual promoter of the event. The erroneous statement is particularly astonishing as we are fully aware of developments leading to the cancellation of Machine Head’s nearly sold out performance scheduled for Auckland this week and the tireless effort by the band to salvage the shows. 1. While the New Zealand visas were approved by the New Zealand Immigration Department, entry into the country is subject to the band submitting their passports to a New Zealand consulate in advance of the tour. Unfortunately the band and crew passports were not returned by The Japanese Embassy in time to do this. The band made every effort possible, including hiring one of the most reputable and expensive visa processing companies in the world to try to expedite the processing of work visas from all the necessary consulates. 2. Having worked with Machine Head for nearly a decade, and having observed Robb Flynn and the band’s sheer dedication to the band’s fanbase makes the tone and contents of this drivel positively astounding. Machine Head have an impeccable reputation for delivering for their fans and making it to their shows through circumstances including snowstorms, floods, injuries and personal tragedy. This band has proven the high respect it holds for its fans all over the world. It is therefore absurd to suggest that they would treat their New Zealand fans with disrespect. 3. The Auckland show was scheduled and insisted upon by the band (despite my recommendation to the contrary) due to the band’s desire not only to perform for their patient and dedicated supporters in New Zealand, but also because the country was foremost in the band’s wish-list of destinations to visit. 4. The band have incurred an enormous financial loss by having to cancel and rebook airfares and losing the income from this show while still having to pay for accommodation and crew wages while on a layover in Australia. This cancellation has been well and truly outside and beyond the control of Machine Head, the band’s representatives and promoters. We are all deeply saddened to have to disappoint the fans and all efforts will be made to prioritise New Zealand on the band’s next visit to Oceania. Sincerely, A.J Maddah (Managing Director) KMW PRODUCTIONS Robb Flynn's Headbanger's Ball Blog 10.11.07   Robb Flynn recently contributed a guest blog for the "Headbanger's Blog" over at MTV's Headbanger's Ball web site. Click here to check it out. "Now I Lay Thee Down" Video Premiere! 10.04.07   Head on over to the Headbanger's Ball Blog to catch the premiere of Machine Head's new video for "Now I Lay Thee Down", from their new album "The Blackening"! The video will also air on Headbanger's Ball this Saturday, and be sure to check back here at MachineHead1.com on Sunday to watch the full, uncut and uncensored version of the video! Worcester Telegram Article on Cancellations 09.20.07   The Worcester Telegram & Gazette just published the following article regarding the sudden cancellation of a number of metal shows on Disney property, including the opening night of The Black Tyranny Tour featuring Machine Head, Arch Enemy, Throwdown and Sanctity. You can also view the original article at the following link. Machine Head’s music rattles Disney By Scott McLennan, Entertainment Columnist September 20, 2007 Machine Head is disturbing The Mouse. Twice this month, House of Blues concert venues on Disney-owned property — one in Anaheim and one in Orlando — booted long-booked Machine Head concerts just days ahead of the scheduled performances. The Orlando House of Blues also forced death-metal band Cannibal Corpse to change venues. “It’s pretty disturbing,” said Machine Head singer Robb Flynn. “We are shocked that in this day and age, in 2007 America, that bands can be pressured, (and) that promoters can be pressured by a business and be removed from a venue because somebody doesn’t like what your lyrics stand for or think that your fans are crazy. We’ve played these venues before, and there was no indication that anything was going to be different.” Calls for comment from the House of Blues in Orlando were bounced around three offices before falling into a voice mail belonging to Kendall Lee in the HOB’s operations department. In published reports, Live Nation, the concert-promoting giant that owns the House of Blues chain, conceded that the entertainment mix presented at its venues on Disney property will have to differ from what it typically offers elsewhere in the country. Machine Head is heading to a safe harbor this week, though, as the band brings its Black Tyranny Tour to The Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester, tomorrow. The package also features co-headliner Arch Enemy and support acts Throwdown and Sanctity (whose bass player Jared MacEachern is also subbing for Machine Head’s Adam Duce, who broke his leg just before the start of the tour). To modify Flynn’s assessment of the situation a bit, things are a little different from previous Machine Head tours as the band is now packing “The Blackening,” the best — and darkest — album of its career. “Once we started the recording process, it dawned on everyone that this might be something a little different, and that got us excited,” Flynn said. “The Blackening” consists of eight tracks, two of which pass the 10-minute mark, and another two that hit nine minutes. The shortest tune is just shy of five minutes. In other words, these thrash-bred guys from the Bay Area got their epic on for “The Blackening,” making the sort of move into big sounds that their forebears Metallica did a generation earlier with “…And Justice for All.” Making such a record was a gamble, as Machine Head was solidly leading a pack of young metal acts expert in the genre’s scorched-earth approach to music making. The band’s previous album, “Through the Ashes of Empires,” restored Machine Head’s place in the metal firmament after it stumbled through a couple of experimental and hasty-sounding efforts. “After all the success with ‘Through the Ashes,’ we felt that now more than ever we could not play it safe. We couldn’t make ‘Through the Ashes II.’ That was a record for its time, and that time passed. We set out to challenge ourselves.” Flynn said that writing “The Blackening” was actually the easy part. Once he got the green light from band mates Adam Duce (bass), Phil Demmel (guitar) and Dave McClain (drums) that they were on board with his lyrical content, turning out the songs was not difficult. “I asked them if it was OK to say some of the things I say on this record. They agreed that this is what we are about,” Flynn said. And what Machine Head is about on “The Blackening” is unfiltered rage. The band picks over the American landscape like a vulture on a carcass as the songs present a stark world view full of hate and mayhem. In contrast to what the Disney banning may lead one to believe, Machine Head is not endorsing the misery so much as reflecting it. Besides, if the band simply wanted to agitate, it likely would not have so exquisitely crafted the message. “Recording this was the challenge. Everything became so epic that everything else needed to become epic just to sound right. We have songs with 10 tracks of just snare drum. Just the beginning of ‘Clenching’ (the Fists of Dissent), that acoustic intro, was cut with 84 different tracks. Mixing this record was hell,” said Flynn, who also served as producer for the project. But the basic Machine Head grind born in the early 1990s is not lost in “The Blackening.” And a good portion of the record is as staggering and blunt as the band’s raucous 1994 debut “Burn My Eyes.” Machine Head’s efforts to both celebrate its thrash origins and then build upon them paid off nicely as U.K. music magazine Kerrang! in its annual music poll bestowed album-of-the year honors on “The Blackening.” Machine Head bested favorites My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy in the voting. Kerrang! also awarded Machine Head its Hard Rock Hero award. In similar fashion, earlier in the summer Metal Hammer magazine dubbed “The Blackening” best album of the year and gave Flynn its Golden God award. “It was a huge day for metal,” Flynn said of the Kerrang! awards. “I didn’t think we had a chance against My Chemical Romance or Fall Out Boy. Those are both huge commercial bands championed by Kerrang! (Our) album is as edgy and as extreme as we’ve ever gotten, but the readers and editors of Kerrang! found it more relevant. Our jaws just hit the floor when they announced we won,” said Flynn, noting he was able to thank Judas Priest, also in attendance at the award ceremony, for “letting us jack so many of its riffs over the years.” The awards were just one honor for Machine Head this year as the band was also tapped to tour with the Ronnie James Dio-fronted lineup of Black Sabbath, now known as Heaven and Hell. “Touring with Heaven and Hell was surreal. Walking out of my dressing room and seeing (Black Sabbath guitarist) Tony Iommi was too much. It took me two weeks just to get my head around that. I used to write letters to Black Sabbath when they broke up with Ozzy (Osbourne), pleading for them to get back together so I could see them play ‘National Acrobat’ before I died.” Flynn grew up a metal head through and through and said things worked out nicely that he learned the music through the San Francisco scene rather than through the more prominent Los Angeles scene taking place farther south in his home state. “(“The Blackening’) is steeped in the stuff I heard growing up. I was fortunate to be 14 years old growing up in the golden age of thrash,” Flynn said. “In L.A. the musicians acted like rock stars. In the Bay Area, people were accessible. When I first saw Metallica, James Hetfield was hanging around outside the auditorium. You could get his autograph and talk to him. To a young kid that made a huge impression. That’s the spirit we are trying to carry on. The Bay Area sound always had more evil notes than other styles of metal.” And that deliverance of evil is so convincing these days that Machine Head is earning the sort of notoriety through corporate censorship most metal bands would gladly pay for. Yet Flynn was not over-hyping the Disney cancellations. “It’s basically a form of profiling, and it’s pretty shocking,” he said. “A result of 9-11 is that you have people acting in a way they say makes the world a safer place. I just want to know, safer for who?” L.A. Times Article on Cancellations 09.17.07   The L.A. Times just published the following article regarding the sudden cancellation of a number of metal shows on Disney property, including the opening night of The Black Tyranny Tour featuring Machine Head, Arch Enemy, Throwdown and Sanctity. You can also view the original article at the following link. Heavy metal acts moved off Disney properties By Greg Burk, Special to The Times September 15, 2007 Metal detectors may soon be irrelevant at House of Blues clubs, at least any sitting on property owned by the Walt Disney Co. Five heavy-metal concerts scheduled on Disney property in Anaheim and Orlando have been hastily shifted to other venues or canceled recently, according to House of Blues website calendars. A Sept. 7 show featuring Machine Head, Arch Enemy, Throwdown and Sanctity, booked two months earlier, was moved on two days' notice from the House of Blues in Anaheim's Downtown Disney entertainment complex to the Glass House in Pomona. Thursday's concert with Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Red Chord and The Abscence, originally slated for Anaheim House of Blues, was moved to the Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana. A Sept. 26 Anaheim House of Blues concert featuring Obituary, Alabama Thunderpussy, Full Blown Chaos and Hemlock has been canceled outright. At the House of Blues in Orlando, Fla., on Disney World property, a Sept. 17 concert of the Machine Head lineup has been moved to Club Firestone in downtown Orlando. The same action has been taken with the Oct. 11 Cannibal Corpse package. Asked about the scheduling changes, John Vlautin, vice president of communications for Live Nation (formerly Clear Channel), the concert-promotion organization that owns the nationwide House of Blues chain, issued a statement Thursday that said only: "House of Blues offers a range of entertainment to match the audience at our venues. It was determined that the mix of entertainment at our two Disney locations should be different from our other venues." Vlautin declined to comment on why metal bands have been singled out after years of similar bookings or whether other metal events already scheduled, including Suffocation, Edguy and Static X, will be affected. Rob Doughty, communications vice president for Disneyland Resorts, declined to comment, referring inquiries to Vlautin. Paul McGuigan, concert promoter at the Anaheim House of Blues, also declined to comment through a club spokeswoman. The Walt Disney Co., through Vlautin, issued a short statement Thursday that included no specifics about the shifts of the metal concerts: "In consultation with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, the House of Blues will provide a mix of entertainment for guests visiting Disney Resorts." Robb Flynn, vocalist and guitarist of Machine Head, expressed surprise about the venue change, saying in a phone interview that the group had played both clubs several times without incident. He said he had been told that Disney pressured House of Blues to evict metal on the grounds that it attracted an "undesirable" element; he also said he suspects that "one of the main issues of contention Disney had with Machine Head was our antiwar and anti-administration lyrics." A sample lyric from the Bay Area quartet's current recording, "The Blackening," goes, "Murder us, silence us, / Divide and conquer us." The veteran Cannibal Corpse, which headlines the touring Metal Blade Records bill that was removed from the Anaheim and Orlando House of Blues calendars, is known for its extreme album-cover artwork and death-obsessed lyrics such as "Pray to our God / With blood we praise his epic acts of hate," from last year's "Kill" collection. Many modern metal bands express an antiwar, anti-authority and/or anti-religion message. John Halperin, talen booker for the Glass House, said Friday that the Machine Head show transferred to his venue came off to the satisfaction of bands and fans, despite the fact that it is an all-ages club where no alcohol is sold. Disney Retaliates, Forces Another Cancellation 09.10.07   In a not-so-stunning move, The Walt Disney Company have once again pressured promoter Live Nation into canceling Machine Head's performance at a House of Blues venue on Disney property, this time in Orlando, a mere four days after the band's previous announcement called out the corporation for their underhanded tactics regarding the cancellation of Friday's House of Blues Anaheim show on 2 days notice. While no one is willing to provide evidence that would prove unfavorable to Disney, sources close to events have suggested that once again, vague threats of liability, and now threats on job security may have been levied, successfully resulting in the show being moved off of Disney property. As a result, the September 17th show has now been relocated to Club Firestone in Orlando, FL (located at 578 N. Orange Ave). All existing tickets will be redeemable for entry at Club Firestone, all Will Call pickups will now be available for pickup at the new venue, and all refund requests will be honored. As they are not on Disney property and therefore not subject to the corporation's alleged coercionary tactics, the Dallas, New Orleans, Cleveland and Chicago House of Blues shows will go on as scheduled. On behalf of all four bands on the bill, Machine Head wish to again extend their gratitude to Live Nation and the House of Blues for their poise and tolerance during these absurd developments. Disney Forces Machine Head Cancellation 09.06.07   In a stunning last-minute move, Walt Disney Properties have pressured promoter Live Nation into canceling Machine Head's performance tomorrow night at the House of Blues venue in Anaheim (on Disney property). Citing violent imagery, undesirable fans and inflammatory lyrics as the reason, the diversity-impaired corporation began pressuring the promoter on Saturday to cancel all upcoming heavy metal concerts, placing Machine Head under an internal "review process" that took 5 days before bothering to convey their alarming decision to the band late yesterday - less than 48 hours before their Black Tyranny Tour was to kick off at House of Blues Anaheim on Friday night. While the enactment of this new blanket rule applies to all upcoming heavy metal shows at the House Of Blues Anaheim (with some metal bands having been banned from performing on name alone), Machine Head is the first band to actually have tickets go on sale, and remain on sale for 2 months, before intense pressure and vague threats of liability from the corporation left the promoter with no choice but to remove the show from the venue. As a result, Live Nation's Paul McGuigan did the honorable thing and incredibly, on one days notice, managed to salvage the tour's opening night by moving the first date of The Black Tyranny tour (featuring Machine Head, Arch Enemy, Throwdown, and Sanctity) to The Glass House in Pomona, CA (located at 200 W. Second Street). All existing tickets will be redeemable for entry at The Glass House, and all Will Call pickups will now be available for pickup at the new venue. Any fans unable to make the 70-mile trip to The Glass House as a result of this ridiculous turn of events will be able to have their money refunded in full. Strangely, all other Black Tyranny dates at House Of Blues venues on Disney property will remain unaffected. On behalf of all four bands on the bill, Machine Head wish to extend their gratitude to promoter Paul McGuigan and Live Nation for finding an alternate venue for tomorrow night's show on such short notice. Temporary Replacement Named For Duce 09.04.07   After a thorough audition process, Machine Head have chosen Brandon Sigmund from Bay Area metal heroes Hostility to play bass in place of the injured Adam Duce for the duration of this Fall's highly-anticipated Black Tyranny Tour. Also joining the band onstage to handle Adam's vocal duties will be Jared MacEachern of tourmates Sanctity. "We're really stoked to have found guys as killer as Brandon and Jared to help us through this situation" says Machine Head drummer Dave McClain, "we can't wait to get out there and give our fans in the States the headlining show they've been waiting for, especially with bands like Arch Enemy, Throwdown and Sanctity on the bill". Duce's leg is healing normally and he's currently on track to rejoin the band for the rest of their 2007 tour schedule, starting with their Loudpark date in Japan on October 20th. Emo Outrage Over MH Win Boils Over 08.28.07   Machine Head's "Best Album" win at last Thursday's Kerrang! Awards over pop-rock powerhouses My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy has apparently cut deep with fans of both bands, prompting a flood of angry whining and sad-faced emoticons on the Kerrang! message boards. Machine Head's upset victory over the multi-platinum softcore acts sent their inherently sensitive fans into an emotional frenzy, building into a tizzy of unparalleled proportions. Wrought with dismay, polished fingernails the world over lashed out at the band and metal as a whole with diatribes the likes of "MCR really should have won!!! I'm mad now!!!!”, "what a load of shit, who the fuck listens to them?" and "Stupid Machine Head!!", at times stooping so low as to say the competition was fixed, and often gravely endangering the integrity of their carefully sideswept hair with posts like "I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL, I H8 METAL". Not surprisingly, Machine Head fans responded en masse to the tirades, lashing back in defense of the band and the undisputed quality of the album, citing critical praise, technicality, songwriting and fan response to 2007's "The Blackening", as well as the band's influence on and history within their genre, with the occasional "Machine Head piss all over anything MCR have ever done" thrown in for good measure. To much less internet-based commotion, the band also took home the "Hard Rock Hero" award, netting them two Kerrang! awards for the first time since "Burn My Eyes" where they received "Best International Band" and "Best Video" for the song "Davidian". MH Win 2 At The Kerrang! Awards! 08.23.07   Machine Head won two Kerrang! Awards tonight, beating out multi-platinum artists Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance to win the "Best Album" award for "The Blackening" as well as being honored with Hard Rock Cafe's "Hard Rock Hero" award! Adam Duce To Miss U.S. Tour With Broken Leg 08.21.07   In an unfortunate turn of events, Machine Head bassist Adam Duce will miss this Fall's highly-anticipated Black Tyranny Tour in the U.S. due to a broken leg suffered while dirt biking in Redding, CA. Initially thought to be nothing more than a bad sprain, x-rays later confirmed the break, which required surgery to attach a steel plate and two screws to the broken bone. A disappointed Duce laments, "It sucks to be in this position, because we have such a killer tour set up for the end of the summer and now we'll have to find a replacement for me. I've never missed one show that this band has ever played up to this point and I never thought I would see the day when Machine Head would be playing and I wouldn't be on stage." The band are currently rehearsing with temporary bassist candidates and are in the final stages of selecting Duce's replacement, the details of which will be announced as soon as they are determined. All Black Tyranny dates in the U.S. will go on as scheduled, and Duce will be returning for the Australian and European legs of The Black Crusade Tour, beginning with the band's Loudpark date in Japan. Santa Cruz Warm-Up Show 09/05! 08.01.07   Machine Head have just announced they will be playing a warm-up show for The Black Tyranny Tour on September 5th at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA. Be sure to catch The Black Tyranny - featuring co-headliners Arch Enemy, as well as Throwdown and Sanctity - when it comes through your area! Check the Tours page for details. Kerrang! reviews Wembley with Metallica! 07.26.07   Kerrang! recently gave Machine Head 5 K's for their blistering performance as support for Metallica at London's Wembley Stadium on July 8th! Click on the image below to see what they had to say, and be sure to track down the recent Machine Head cover feature (also pictured below) in the July 7th issue of Kerrang!   The Black Tyranny Tour Announced! 07.16.07   The onslaught that is "The Black Tyranny Tour" begins Friday, September 7th and will rip a swath across North America well into October! With Machine Head and Arch Enemy both performing full headlining sets and Throwdown and Sanctity supporting, you won't want to miss this tour! Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn states, "Man, it's just an endless stream of good news here in Machine Head-land, we are so fucking stoked to be going out with some of our favorite bands, here in the U.S., on what is sure to be THE most brutal metal tour of the Fall! Machine Head, Arch Enemy, Throwdown and Sanctity are going to bring the pain to you motherfuckers, and carnage will have no rules on this tour. Beware The Black Tyranny!!!" Arch Enemy’s Angela Gossow adds, "Arch Enemy teaming up with Machine Head in the U.S. is a big FUCK YOU to everybody who dwells in the past! We certainly aren't! Instead we’re looking forward to crushing the U.S. together and leaving nothing but a tangled wreck of molten metal in our wake!" Gossow continues, "As an added bonus for Arch Enemy fans, this will be the first time in three years that the (recently reunited) Amott brothers will be bringing their insane dual-guitar shredding to American soil! I am very excited to get back on stage and celebrate the sheer power of extreme music, all wrapped up in this fantastic tour package!" "Let freedom ring with a METAL blast!!!" The Black Tyranny Tour promises night after pummeling night of power from some of metal's finest. From the first note to the last, The Black Tyranny Tour will be spoken of long after it crushes your town, so if there is one show this year that you can't afford to miss, this is it. Prepare, The Black Tyranny is coming your way! For individual show details, check the Tours page, and be sure to check back, as there are more dates to come! MH Added to Metallica's Wembley bill! 06.27.07   Machine Head has been added as one of the opening acts for thrash legends Metallica on July 8th at Wembley Stadium in London, England! Says Dave McClain of the opportunity, "This will be the icing on the cake after a month of great moments, like headlining the Metal Hammer awards and taking home "Album of the Year" honors, Robb winning the Golden God and supporting Iron Maiden at the Olympic Stadium in Rome! Huge thanks to the Metallica guys for adding us to the show." Also scheduled to appear are H.I.M. and Mastodon, for more details check the Tours page! MH Win Best Album & Golden God Awards! 06.15.07   Monday's Metal Hammer Awards in London saw Machine Head perform a rowdy set to a crowd of raging fans (for details, read Robb Flynn's latest Diary), capped off by the band receiving the Album Of The Year award and Robb Flynn receiving a Golden God award! A very special thanks to every single one of you who voted! The Black Crusade Tour Announced! 06.09.07   A distant roar can already be heard, and come November the onslaught will hit the shores of the U.K.. Five of the world’s heaviest metal bands join forces to create 'The Black Crusade' which will march through every country rewriting history and establishing itself as THE metal tour of the decade. Machine Head, Trivium, Dragonforce, Arch Enemy and Shadows Fall will combine forces for the tour of tours. ‘The Black Crusade’ will rip a swath across the world and leave only ashes in its wake. A line up, the likes of which has never been seen, will level venue after venue, city after city, country after country. Check the Tours page for details, and be sure to get your tickets early as demand is going to be high... Just Added! - “The Black Crusade” has expanded into a global conquest! It will march across the continent of Australia starting October 28th with Machine Head, Trivium, Arch Enemy and special guest (TBA)! Also just confirmed, Machine Head will be playing the Loudpark festival in Tokyo, Japan on October 20th! "The Blackening" Special Editions! 06.08.07   Machine Head's new album "The Blackening" has a couple of limited special edition releases overseas that are worth mentioning for those of you in the States. Available in Europe for a limited time only, "The Blackening" is currently available as a 2-LP gatefold vinyl release that features gorgeous artwork and a great old school feel for those of you that remember jamming records before everything else (and those that collect vinyl) and as a CD+DVD 2-disc special edition that comes in a sleek silver foil-enhanced slipcase (featuring the bonus track "Battery" added to the CD, as well as "The Making of The Blackening" and a 2006 Tour Documentary on the DVD). See below for pictures of the two items, and click the links above to visit their product pages for more information!   Machine Head Banner Contest! 05.02.07   Throughout the duration of the Heaven & Hell tour, Machine Head scanned the crowd for fan-made banners. The fan(s) with the best banner were granted backstage access to meet the band, and you'll find photos of the winners and their banners posted below, as well as a few runners-up! Click on the links to check 'em out. Albuquerque, NM: Tanya Antonio & Daveanna Bordy Chicago, IL: Amy Pzinski, Brad Czerniak, Victor Raynes, Andrew Buist & Paul Inhatiuk Minneapolis, MN: Mike Krause & Mike Burgman Philadelphia, PA: Tim & Dave Tarnowski Cleveland, OH: Tommy & Tom Skulina Detroit, MI: Dan Flannigan & Chad Stains Pittsburgh, PA: Brandon Pitts, Tanya Stitt, Andy Rupert & Brian Jones Runners-Up: One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Seven Aesthetics of Hate Video! 04.28.07   The full-length, uncensored version of Machine Head's new video "Aesthetics Of Hate" is now available on the Media page. Directed by Mike Sloat, the video is the first from Machine Head's new album "The Blackening", in stores now. L.A. Times Review of Heaven & Hell Tour 04.27.07   Greg Burk wrote the following excellent review of the April 25th Heaven & Hell show at The Forum for the L.A. Times today: Heaven and Hell at the Forum The members of Black Sabbath, circa 1982, take their fans to the other side in a head-banging festival of heavy metal. By Greg Burk, Special to The Times April 27, 2007 In heavy metal, you must hit the right combination of ham and fist. Wednesday night at the Forum, Heaven and Hell, Megadeth and Machine Head gave an advanced seminar in the delicate art of arena rock. Guitar riffmaster Tony Iommi and bass wrangler Geezer Butler virtually invented arena rock nearly 40 years ago as half of Black Sabbath. And they continue to deliver the quintessence of clobber with Heaven and Hell — which, completed by Ronnie James Dio's operatic tenor and Vinny Appice's fearful drum slog, duplicates the highly regarded 1982 version of Sabbath. (Iommi could call it that but defers to his original Sab incarnation fronted by Ozzy Osbourne.) The wide-ranging audience had been waiting all night to slake its Hellish thirst when the glitter-shirted elf Dio appeared, chanting the provocative questions "What do you say to the dead? Will you forgive me for living?" Iommi's shuddering riff, like a shoulder thrust against a rusty sepulcher door, set the tone for what functions best in an echoing concrete vault: deliberate battery. Though Heaven and Hell revved regularly with chargers such as "The Mob Rules" and "Die Young," the selections from the three Dio-Sab studio albums (from 1980, 1981 and 1992) were dominated by slow and dire paeans such as the environmentally themed "Children of the Sea" and the mystical "The Sign of the Southern Cross." The new moans "Shadow of the Wind" and "The Devil Cried," from the just-released "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years," blended seamlessly with the murky templates stamped on 1992's "Dehumanizer" album. By the time the four crashed to the conclusion of the dynamic "Falling Off the Edge of the World," the crowd was like a mass of asylum inmates clamoring for the coup de grace. It arrived with the dizzying extended build of the signature song "Heaven and Hell," Iommi flaying demonic inspirations while Dio joined his virtuosic howls with those of the rabble. And these guys are over 60. Dave Mustaine's current edition of Megadeth preceded Heaven and Hell with a hard-bitten set reaped from its '80s thrash period ("Peace Sells … But Who's Buying") all the way through recent years' more melodic but no less intense proclamations ("Kick the Chair"). Fueled by corporate conspiracy and alien cover-ups, Mustaine's paranoia is his muse. Even if the golden-tressed guitarist has joined the anti-U.N. squad for his upcoming album, "United Abominations," his ripping new song "Washington's Next" indicates his suspicion serves him. This night's arc peaked with the spooked spiels of "Hangar 18"; Mustaine is letting slick new axman Glen Drover handle a bigger share of the solos lately. Overall, despite drummer Shawn Drover's solid thwack, Megadeth's condensed and speedy sound didn't sync well with the big hall's booming acoustics. By contrast, opener Machine Head showed real arena adaptability. These thrash vets, riding a pretty spectacular new studio album, "The Blackening," pulled off the unusual feat of sounding like a totally different (and just as good) band live. The double-kick drums and pinging guitars united into a head-trippy environment that nevertheless rocked viciously. Machine Head To Support Iron Maiden In Rome! 04.24.07   Machine Head will be supporting metal icons Iron Maiden along with Motorhead and Mastodon at Rome's Olympic Stadium on June 20th! The star-studded lineup is but one of many great Machine Head dates in Europe this summer, including the U.K.'s Download, Germany's Rock-am-Ring and Rock-im-Park, Sweden's prestigious Metaltown festival, Denmark's Roskilde, Holland's Fields Of Rock and a number of headlining dates with support coming from the mighty Killswitch Engage, Lamb Of God, Type O Negative, Mastodon and Chimaira! Head on over to the Tours page for more details. Scott Ian Reviews The Blackening! 04.17.07   Famed Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian reviewed Machine Head's new album "The Blackening" for this month's Hard 'N Heavy magazine in France. See below for the entire review. This should’ve been the soundtrack to the movie 300! The Blackening is a great metal record. From the opening riffs of Clenching The Fists of Dissent you know you’re in for brutality. This song takes you on an epic journey all leading up to the monstrous riff that happens at the 8:41 mark. HOLY FUCK!!! CLENCHING THE FISTS OF DISSENT!!!!! The next track, Beautiful Mourning shows how Machine Head can so perfectly balance modern metal with old school thrash. Track 3, Aesthetics Of Hate is a riff-o-rama showing off Rob Flynn and Phil Demmel’s killer guitar work. Next up, Now I Lay Thee Down is like the Deftones on steroids. Track 5, Slanderous starts with a pick slide. I fucking love pick slides and they’re all over this record. More crushing guitars in the middle breakdown take this song straight to hell. The lead trade-off has hints of Hammett. Rob screams THIS IS A CALL TO ARMS WILL YOU STAND BESIDE ME at the beginning of the next song Halo. I can only imagine the audience response. This song is classic Machine Head but with so much more maturity and melody in the chorus. Great hook. The next two, Wolves and A Farewell To Arms, clocking in at 9:01 and 10:12 respectively are so chock full of riffs, breakdowns, hooks, leads, harmonies and pick slides you’ll need multiple listens to take it all in. The songs are epics and in a lesser bands hands that could be a terrible thing. It’s extremely hard to maintain a cohesiveness and focus after five minutes. It’s also hard to keep the listeners interest after five minutes. I’ve been listening to the record all the way through over and over again and the strength of the song writing and riffs maintains a depth and intensity that never lulls. The hooks are deep. Like a great book or movie, this record takes you out of your life for an hour to a place of pure unadulterated listening pleasure. I love the record. Yay metal!!! Scott Machine Head Storms the Charts! 04.03.07   In its first week in stores, Machine Head's new album "The Blackening" has crashed the Billboard charts, landing at #54 (an all-time high for the band)! The record also stormed into the UK Top 20, muscling past Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and Hilary Duff on its way to #16 for the week, topping the mark set by the band's acclaimed debut "Burn My Eyes" and surpassing their all-time 1st-week sales totals for the UK! Also just in, "The Blackening" arrived at #12 on German charts (another all-time high), #14 in Australia, #19 in Sweden, #23 in Ireland and #36 in France! And the action doesn't stop there, the album is currently dominating radio charts as well, hogging the #1 metal radio spot across the board! The Blackening - In Stores Now! 03.27.07   The day you've been anticipating for oh-so-long is finally upon you. Machine Head's new album "The Blackening" is now in stores worldwide! So get your bad self on down to your friendly neighborhood music retailer and snag yourself a copy of the record that's being hailed by critics around the globe as "a masterpiece"! Read on below for full reviews.