Bay Area metal icons MACHINE HEAD unleash their incendiary 10th studio album, 'ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN’ today, with the collection landing at DSPs and in stores via Nuclear Blast X Imperium Recordings. Stream the new album HEREand pick up your physical copy HERE or via your nearest local record store HERE.
Read Blabbermouth's stunning 10/10 review of ØKACHERE
To commemorate release day, the band have revealed a brand new video for the album track, 'NØ GØDS, NØ MASTERS',which you can watch below.
Speaking about the new track, MACHINE HEAD founder and visionary, Robb Flynn shares;
"We're really proud of the video for 'NØ GØDS, NØ MASTERS'. It was an incredible collaboration between three different creative teams working across two different continents. Our director/editor Mike Sloat (Machine Head, Testament) teamed up with the amazing Grupa 13 (Behemoth, Amon Amarth) and then the stunning 3-D CGI came from Phil Radford AKA MayaGuy of Strangebox. The track was masterfully mixed by long-time Machine Head collaborator Colin Richardson and his engineer Chris Clancy. This is a really special song from the album."
MACHINE HEAD’s new album, 'ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN' is a 13-track concept album set in a decimated futuristic wasteland where the sky is stained crimson red. The crux of the story is based on two main characters:
Character #1 Ares: (pronounced Aries), our main, who loses the love of his life (Amethyst) and goes on a murderous rampage against the vile sect responsible for her murder.
Character #2 Eros: (pronounced Arrows) the perpetrator, who loses his mother to a drug overdose and becomes radicalized in the aftermath. Eros goes off the deep end manifesting his own killing spree.
The album's lyrics detail how their lives intertwine.
The colossal concept album comes with a list of equally colossal packaging for various physical formats, including 16 different vinyl editions worldwide, a deluxe vinyl box set (with bonus tracks), CDs (both old-school longbox and jewel box options), multi-color cassettes, and a limited-edition Digipak with bonus tracks.
POUND FOR POUND THE GREATEST RECORD MACHINE HEAD HAVE EVER MADE.
Every album in the MACHINE HEAD catalogue has its merits and charms, but there is a fairly broad consensus that two albums stand out as particularly significant. Released in 1994, "Burn My Eyes" was an epoch-wrecking debut that noisily established Robb Flynn's band as standard bearers for a new breed of heaviness. Released in 2007, "The Blackening" was another serendipitous moment in time, wherein a surge of creativity pushed MACHINE HEAD to new heights, a new level of popularity and the most exhaustive world tour(s) of their career.
Both are certified classics, with the obvious drawback that everything released subsequently has been unfavorably compared to one or both of them. In particular, MACHINE HEAD's last album was a straightforwardly divisive affair, but the persistent narrative that it was some woeful, career-threatening folly doesn't withstand a great deal of scrutiny. Released in 2018, "Catharsis" was a deliberately diverse and unwieldy concoction.
Like its title suggested, it offered a sustained splurge of ideas and a clearing of the emotional decks. Yes, a few tracks incurred the wrath of the overly sensitive by daring to stray a bit too far off the beaten track, but judging by those same tracks' streaming figures — not to mention the almost entirely sold out tour(s) that followed its release, during which those songs were performed to a positive reception — "Catharsis" was perfectly popular enough, at least with MACHINE HEAD's distinctly diehard fan base.
Nonetheless, the perception that Flynn's crew are in desperate need of a comeback persists, and so "Of Kingdom And Crown" arrives under the weight of great expectations. The first MACHINE HEAD album to feature DECAPITATED founder Vogg on guitar, this hour-long tour de force could hardly be a more robust and inarguable response to that external pressure. If people whine about this one, they are going to look extremely fucking silly.
Ferociously focused, bursting at the seams with brilliant songs and ruthlessly contemporary on a sonic level, "Of Kingdom And Crown" showcases the upgrade MACHINE HEAD have undergone over the last few years. Those who saw the band on the ill-fated "Burn My Eyes" reunion tour witnessed both the partial reconvening of the original MH lineup, but also the birth of a newer incarnation, featuring Vogg and drummer Matt Alston, alongside Flynn and bassist Jared McEachern. Those shows demonstrated what fresh blood and a sharper perspective can do, even for a veteran band.
Thrillingly, MACHINE HEAD sounded more precise and destructive than they ever had, and it's that crushing, pointedly hyper-modern approach that defines "Of Kingdom And Crown" too. Here, the drums are performed by noted badass Navene Koperweis (ex-ANIMALS AS LEADERS), but the principle and performance remain the same — tight, brutal, precise — throughout what is easily this band's most vicious and punishing album yet.
The backdrop to all of this is that "Of Kingdom And Crown" is MACHINE HEAD's first concept record. A dystopian tale of existential torment and horrifying violence, it tells the tumultuous tale of two troubled protagonists whose lives entwine, with (as one might hope) deeply unpleasant consequences. For the first time ever, Robb Flynn has written songs from someone's perspective other than his own, and his delight in that freedom is writ large through what is arguably his strongest and most vividly poetic collection of lyrics to date. Manifestly open to endless interpretation, the story has a beginning, middle and somewhat nebulous end, and gives "Of Kingdom And Crown" a level of pre-release intrigue that it might not have otherwise had. Thankfully, what the conceptual conceit doesn't do is distract from the real story here: that is that MACHINE HEAD have crafted a stone-cold masterpiece, and an album that at least deserves to be held in the same high esteem as those two earlier benchmarks.
Frankly, this is an audacious piece of work. "Of Kingdom And Crown" begins with "Slaughter The Martyr", a ten-minute epic with multiple movements, it begins as an elegiac, acoustic hymn that ebbs and flows in an ambient haze for a full three minutes before any drum is struck in anger. MACHINE HEAD have written ten-minute songs before, and some really fucking good ones, but "Slaughter…" is on another level. With numerous exhilarating twists and turns and a final crescendo that ties the melodic threads together in a perfect, bloody bow, it contains every definitive element of the band's sound, but used in a much more imaginative way. In its overpowering entirety, "Slaughter The Martyr" feels momentous: an important line drawn in the creative sand.
Remarkably, everything that follows hits the same heights. Thanks to the drip-drip way that MACHINE HEAD have shared this album with the world, most of these songs will be familiar to dedicated fans, but it is worth repeating how fucking good they are. From the skull-shattering Bay Area snot of "Choke On The Ashes Of Your Hate" and the blastbeat-fuelled euphoria of "Become The Firestorm", to the immersive, prog-tinged pummeling of "Unhallowed" and the crestfallen crunch of "My Hands Are Empty", these were, and are, instantly identifiable as MACHINE HEAD classics. For those craving a dose of old-school Oakland ignorance, "Rotten" has a good dose of "Burn My Eyes" in its veins, but with the heaviness notched up even further. For those that regard "The Blackening" as MACHINE HEAD's undisputed peak, "Arrows In Words From The Sky" is this album's "Halo": a truly beautiful and poignant song, but one that still crushes skulls with a shit-eating grin on its face. To those we can add "Kill Thy Enemies" — a monstrously heavy and belligerent Bay Area throwdown with absurd amounts of singalong potential — and "Bloodshot", an all-out, thuggish riff-riot with zero clean vocals and a bad attitude. Both are likely to cause traffic accidents.
Perhaps even more significant than the self-evident quality of these songs is the fact that every one of them is composed of exquisitely satisfying individual moments. Songwriting is an inexact art, but everything here feels refined to the point of perfection, with each change of tempo or tricky transition making perfect sense, and every moving part humming in perfect synchronicity with those around it. The bug-eyed juggernaut breakdown midway through "Become The Firestorm"; "Unhallowed"'s joyously old-school, fists-in-the-air middle-eight-cum-second-chorus; Flynn and McEachern's clean vocal harmonies, which often border on magical; countless glorious drum fills that will have MACHINE HEAD acolytes frantically battering the air with flailing limbs in sweaty solidarity; the sheer filthiness of the main riff in "Kill Thy Enemies"; the choking enormity of "No Gods, No Masters"' arena-size chorus; the obvious, fizzing, lead guitar chemistry between Flynn and Vogg: on and on it goes, a gluttonous feast of dynamic and timeless metal detonations, built upon the most impressive armory of riffs that Robb Flynn has assembled since any album you care to mention. As an added bonus, "Of Kingdom And Crown" boasts several fiendishly inventive new uses for MACHINE HEAD's trademark harmonic squeals (just in case anyone was thinking of moaning about that).
Listening to this extraordinary hour of music, it's hard to believe that anyone ever doubted that MACHINE HEAD would live to fight another day. A murderous musical rampage that brings passion, technicality and a million great ideas together in a cyclone of massive riffs and even bigger hooks, "Of Kingdom And Crown" is a flawless show of strength: the kind of life-affirming metal album that bands rarely seem to make these days. Pound for pound, it's the greatest record MACHINE HEAD have ever made.
MACHINE HEAD Release New Track and Music Video “UNHALLØWED” Watch HERE | Stream HERE
Taken From Colossal 10th Album 'ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN' Out Friday, August 26, 2022 via Nuclear Blast x Imperium Recordings Pre-Orders Available HERE
Tuesday, June 21st, 2022 - Bay Area metal titans, MACHINE HEAD, have dropped mammoth new track, “UNHALLØWED”, today along with an accompanying music video. Stream the new track HERE and watch the official music video “UNHALLØWED” - Live from Electric Happy Hour" HERE. The new track is lifted from the band’s tenth studio album, 'ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN’ which will be released via Nuclear Blast x Imperium Recordings on August 26th, 2022. Pre-orders available now HERE.
Speaking on the latest track to be released from the upcoming album,MACHINE HEADfounder,Robb Flynnshares; “UNHALLØWED”: Chapter Six – ‘ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN’ "Drowning in the deepest depression of his life, Eros is at a breaking point. Collecting heartaches, loss, and near psychotic isolation, “Unhallowed” is the beginning of a powerful shift of ourstory. An introspective narrative starts the song lyrically, which is a collaborative effort written by myself, Guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, and Bassist/Backing Vocalist Jared MacEachernand encapsulates the collective strength of this writing team. "Anchored by an absolutely monstrous groove, the vocals melodically mirror the state of mind of Eros as he reels from the loss of his mother to a drug overdose and begins a slow downwardspiral into madness. However, the culmination of the track infuses some much-needed light, but will it be enough?”
MACHINE HEAD’s upcoming album, 'ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN' is a 13 track concept album set in a decimated futuristic wasteland where the sky is stained crimson red. The crux of thestory is based on two main characters: Character #1 Ares:(pronounced Aries), our main, who loses the love of his life (Amethyst) and goes on a murderous rampage against the vile sect responsible for her murder. Character #2 Eros:(pronounced Arrows) the perpetrator, who loses his mother to a drug overdose and becomes radicalized in the aftermath. Eros goes off the deep end manifesting his ownkilling spree. The lyrics detail how their lives intertwine.
The colossal concept comes with a list of equally colossal packaging for various physical formats including 16 different worldwide vinyl formats, deluxe vinyl box set (with bonus tracks), CDs(both old-school longbox and jewel box options), multi-color cassettes, and a limited-edition Digipak with bonus tracks.
CDs, Digipak, cassettes, and all digital formats will be available on Aug 26th, with all vinyl formats arriving on Nov 25th. Pre-order the new albumHERE.
Catch MACHINE HEAD on the road across Europe, starting in August. For ticket information, click here.
Electric Happy Hour (Live): August 31 - Glasgow @ Garage (SOLD OUT) September 4 - Iverness @Ironworks (SOLD OUT) September 4 - Aberdeen @ Lemontree (SOLD OUT) September 5 - Dundee @ Fat Sams September 6 - Edinburgh @ Liquid Room (SOLD OUT)
Machine Head & Amon Amarth "Vikings & Lionhearts" Tour Dates:
SEPTEMBER 08th NOTTINGHAM, Arena 09th CARDIFF, Arena 10th LONDON, Wembley Arena 12th MANCHESTER, Arena 13th DUBLIN, 3 Arena 16th ZURICH, Hallenstadion 17th VIENNA, Stadthalle 18th KRAKOW, Tauron Arena 20th TALLINN, Saku Arena 21st HELSINKI, Ice Hall 23rd OSLO, Spektrum 24th STOCKHOLM, Hovet 26th COPENHAGEN, Forum Black Box 27th HAMBURG, Barclays Arena 28th FRANKFURT, Festhalle 30th OBERHAUSEN, König Pilsener Arena
OCTOBER 01st BERLIN, Velodrom 02nd AMSTERDAM, Afas Live 04th MILANO, Lorenzini District 06th BARCELONA, Sant Jordi 07th MADRID, Vistalegre 08th LA CORUNA, Coliseum 09th LISBON, Campo Pequeno 12th PARIS, Zenith 14th MUNICH, Olympiahalle 15th LEIPZIG, Arena 16th PRAGUE, Tipsport Arena 18th BUDAPEST, Barba Negra 20th ESCH SUR ALZETTE, Rockhal 21st BRUSSELS, Forest National 22nd STUTTGART, Schleyerhalle
Vogg states following on the release of the collaboration: As you probably know, we have an exceptional guest, the metal legend and friend of ours, one and only Robb Flynn. His part of the track became one of my favorite parts of this album. It's a huge honor to have Robb in this project, and I hope you will dig a song. It's a different song, not blasting madness as most of the songs on this record but still powerful, fast, and crushing.
Flynn comments on the collaboration as follows:"When Vogg asked me to sing on this Decapitated track, I was honored to jam with pioneers and such insane musicians. When he sent the track I was blown away at this incredible melodic section in the middle. When he told me the song was called Iconoclast, I knew exactly what needed to be said. An Iconoclast is "a destroyer of images used in religious worship". This song had to address the hateful, growing fascist Evangelical movement growing around the world. The cruel men who wish to hide their cruelty under a cloak of faith and zealotry."
More from Decapitated:
DECAPITATED
- "Cancer Culture" out today!
- video for single "Iconclast" feat. Robb Flynn revealed
Today, the band is proud to release their 8th studio album "Cancer Culture". Its the most versatile album the band has released so far, surprising fans with elements they have never used before, such as guest appearances on vocals.
Vogg states following on the release of the album: "Cancer Culture is out today!!! We've been waiting for this special moment for a very long time. It seems like ages, five years since our latest release "Anticult", sixteen months of working on the "Cancer Culture" album and waiting almost a year to be able to share it with you finally.
You can expect to hear various tracks, outstanding production, fantastic artwork, and of course, as always, something you have not likely to hear on the Decapitated album before. To celebrate this day, we decided to release a video for "Iconoclast". For this occasion, we returned to the studio where all had started, where we recorded drums for the album, to feel an incredible energy and cool vibes again, while making the video.
Again, Jarek Szubrycht (Carnival is Forever) has written amazing lyrics about the disproportion between the dreams, ambitions, and aspirations of humanity.
The leading engineer of the album was Tomasz Zed Zalewski (Anticult), David Castillo was responsible for mixing the album, and Ted Jensen for the final touch for mastering.
The amazing cover artwork comes from Fabio Timpanaro, an Italian artist whose art perfectly describes what the band wanted to tell through visual art.
We are giving you today the "Cancer Culture". Decapitated is back, strong and alive! From pain to strength!
Back in Dec 2021, drummer Navene Koperweis (Animals As Leaders, Entheos, Animosity) joined Robb, Jared, and engineer Zack Ohren at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland to finish jamming on the final tracks for "ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN" and add some finishing touches to the songs.
Returning to the studio where "Through The Ashes Of Empires" and "The Blackening" were recorded brought about some spectacular vibes for the new album.
Pre-order Machine Head's 10th Album, the immense and unapologetic, "ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN,” coming August 26th, 2022.
"ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN” is a 13 track concept album set in a decimated futuristic wasteland where the sky is stained crimson red. The crux of the story is based around 2 main characters.
Character #1 Ares: (pronounced Aries), our main, who loses the love of his life (Amethyst) and goes on a murderous rampage against the vile sect responsible for her murder.
Character #2 Eros: (pronounced Arrows) the perpetrator, who loses his mother to a drug overdose and becomes radicalized in the aftermath. Eros goes off the deep end manifesting his own killing spree.
Head Cases! We are thrilled to reveal the details of our forthcoming 10th Album, the immense and unapologetic, "ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN,” coming August 26th, 2022. The debut of the first video from the album, the ferocious "CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE,” can be viewed HERE
"ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN” is a 13 track concept album set in a decimatedfuturistic wasteland where the sky is stained crimson red. The crux of the storyis based around 2 main characters.
Character #1 Ares: (pronounced Aries), our main, who loses the love of his life(Amethyst) and goes on a murderous rampage against the vile sect responsiblefor her murder.
Character #2 Eros: (pronounced Arrows) the perpetrator, who loses his motherto a drug overdose and becomes radicalized in the aftermath. Eros goes off thedeep end manifesting his own killing spree.
The lyrics detail how their lives intertwine.
MACHINE HEAD founder Robb Flynn comments, “Thanks to my 2 teenage boys my family has become obsessed with this awesome Japanese anime series called “Attack On Titan.” The album’s concept was loosely inspired by the series in the sense that in the storyline, there is no “good" or "bad" guy, both characters believe they’re doing the right thing as it applies to their being, but make no mistake, both are committing acts of pure atrocity and evil. The opening track “SLAUGHTER THE MARTYR” is basically our character #1’s origin story.”
ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN TRACK LISTING:
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
Photo credit: Travis Shinn, and Paul Harries
FORMATS:
The colossal concept comes with a list of equally colossal packaging for various
physical formats including 16 different worldwide vinyl formats, ultra-deluxe vinyl box set [with bonus tracks] and CD, (old-school Long Box CD, Jewel Box CD), multi-color cassette options, and limited-edition Digipak with bonus tracks.
CD's, Digipak, Cassettes, and all digital formats will be available on Aug 26th. All vinyl formats arriving on Nov 25th!
MACHINE HEAD's colossal tenth album, the immense and unapologetic, ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN, coming August 26th, 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records X Imperium Recordings.
The boyz revisit "The Blackening" and celebrate its 15th anniversary with a full,in-order, album play-thru.
Join Robb and Jared as they treat us to blistering renditions of all of the nowclassic album’s eight tracks, along with the inclusions of bonus tracks, IronMaiden's “Hallowed Be Thy Name” and Metallica’s “Battery”.
A must watch for any Head Case!
Beers UP!! 🍻🥃🍾🍹
CELEBRATE 15 YEARS OF "THE BLACKENING" WITH 15% OFF ALL BLACKENING MERCH FROM MARCH 25 TO APRIL 1 AT
