MACHINEHEAD / IN FLAMES

MACHINE HEAD: 

Undisputed masters of murderous riffs, pugnacious grooves and ferocious hooks since 1991, Machine Head are long established as one of the most influential and incendiary bands in metal.

From genre-expanding triumphs like 1994’s debut, Burn My Eyes, 1999’s The Burning Red to the planet-conquering might of 2007’s The Blackening, to the new life injected in 2014’s Bloodstone and Diamonds, Machine Head have carved a singular path across the globe for over three decades now with no end in sight. Whether it be marathon 3-hour live performances, or millions of albums sold worldwide, and accolades both big and small, there aren’t too many ‘distractions’ clouding up the vision of guitarist/vocalist/founder Robb Flynn these days.

In 2022, Machine Head are back with their most crushing and complete album yet. ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN is an hour-long conceptual monolith, rich in colour and dynamics but hell-bent on destruction. Set in a futuristic wasteland where the sky is always crimson red, ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN tells the tale of two characters, both faced with incalculable trauma, whose stories become bloodily entwined as this deep, dark record progresses.

“The album and concept was loosely inspired by the Japanese anime series Attack On Titan,” says Robb, “in the sense that in that series, there is no “good” or “bad” guy… both sides believe they’re doing the right thing, but both are committing atrocities and evil.”

Album opener, “SLAUGHTER THE MARTYR,” sets the tone for not only the record, but the aural and psychological exploration the listener is about to embark on.  From the first dissonant note, its certain this is not only fresh canvas spelled out with lead vocalist Robb Flynn and bassist Jared MacEachern's soaring vocal harmonies, but its intent is as furious as anything the band has ever come up with. This track also begins the journey of our protagonists.

Further exploration of the damaged psyche blasts forth on “CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE,” a searing back and forth dose of Thrash Metal that could only come from the roots of the Bay Area.  Unrelenting in its attack, the breakneck pace only solidifies this as one of many standouts on ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN.

From the adrenaline rush of exorcising their inner demons to the innate feeling of solitude and regret comes “UNHALLØWED.”  A dramatic introspective of questioning one’s motives and the fallout when the debts our expended emotions come to collect.  Hopeless, lost, and isolated, protagonist #2 begins the transformation from victim to victimizer over the melodic chaos courtesy of guitarist Vogg Kiełtyka.  Radicalized, paranoid, and armed with a dead-end stare, the mental onslaught ignites with the song, “KILL THY ENEMIES.”  The whiplash inducing thoughts pair up nicely with some of the thickest grooves on the album.

The album ends with arguably the finest song Machine Head have ever written: “ARRØWS IN WØRDS FRØM THE SKY”, the grandiose but emotionally visceral climax to the finest and most ferocious album of the band’s 30 year career.

A perennially vital force in heavy music, Machine Head have continued their exhilarating evolution, while never losing the furious spirit of their old school, underground roots.

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IN FLAMES:

In a music scene full of seemingly endless subgenres and transient trends, In Flames are an example of what it means to steadfastly stay true to your vision. Since forming in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1990 the legendary melodic metal act have toured the planet countless times and influenced many of today's biggest metal acts without ever ceasing to push their own signature sound forward. In that spirit the band's twelfth full-length Battles sees In Flames eschewing proven formulas in favor of trying new things, most notably finding a new collaborator in Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, The Used ) who was brought into the band's coveted inner circle in order make Battles an album that will appeal to every type of In Flames fan. 

“This album came together much sooner than we thought it would,” guitarist Björn Gelotte explains when asked about the writing process. “I was very reluctant in the beginning but I had a bunch of riffs so I just sat down with [vocalist] Anders [Fridén] and started working on stuff and it began to come together really quickly.” Before bringing things to bassist Peter Iwers and guitarist Niclas Engelin, the duo decided to leave the comforts of Sweden for Los Angeles where they would write all day and then BBQ and drink beer until the early hours of the morning. “I think being in California really affected this album in the sense that we had a studio in the house that we were staying at and the vibe was really relaxed which lent itself to productivity,” Fridén adds. 

In fact although the band were only planning on recording 11 songs they actually came away with 15 of them and this inspiration was partially due to Benson's influence on the overall process. “I think it really helped having a producer who could make us focus on what we needed to accomplish and keep us on track,” Fridén continues. “This was a very new approach for us because we've never let anyone else in the way we did with Howard,” Gelotte adds. “We met with a lot of producers prior to starting this album and he seemed like the only guy who didn't want to change anything; he just wanted to make sure we were making the best In Flames record that we could and it just felt right,” he continues. “It's not that we aren't happy doing things ourselves. we just thought we would try something different because that's what this band has always been about.”

That confidence and palpable excitement is dripping all over Battles from the instantly infectious “take the power back” anthem “The Truth” to the jaw-dropping technical brutality of “Through My Eyes” and distinctive groove and climactic chorus of the album's title track. In other words, the album sees the band making the hooks sharper, the riffs tighter and honing the overall attack in a way that parallels their legendary live shows in an unparalleled fashion. “When people hear this album I think they're going to instantly know that it's the new In Flames without us repeating the same song over and over and that's something I'm incredibly proud of,” Fridén says. “There's something in the fingers of the guys and my voice that's undeniable but I really hope that our songwriting is something can continue to evolve the way that it did here in the future.” 

That relentless drive to innovate in light of their success is something that's been inherent in In Flames' approach from day one and it's something they've never lost sight of despite their countless accolades and constant reinventions. ”We decided early on we are going to do this band our way and aren't going to think about what the flavor of the month is,” explains Gelotte. “In the end we are the ones who are going to have to play these songs and stand behind them and as long as we love what we you do and make the listener feel it then that's what makes it an In Flames song,” he continues. “That may sound like a cliché but it's true. We need the music to be as interesting to us as it is to our fans because this has never just been a job for us, it's a way of life.” 

This mission statement to be working as evidenced by the fact that In Flames' audience is a wide range of ages, genders and music fans, which is ultimately due to the fact that the band have never tried to be something they're not. “The beautiful thing about this band is that you can do whatever the fuck you want and that's the whole point of the music because all of the restrictions and labeling kills it in a way,” Gelotte summarizes. “This time around we had the Howard filter to come in and give us a new perspective on how we could approach this songs but ultimately what it comes down to is very simple: Is it good or is it bad? If it's something that all of us can stand behind and be proud of then we know that it's an In Flames song.”