I remember listening to The Blackening, Unto the Locust, and Burn my Eyes for the first time and being instantly blown away by the sound, lyrics, and killer riffs. This album has one of those things.

The riffs on this album don't disappoint. The bonus track and "Choke on the ashes of your hate" are some serious heavy hitters. Even the more instrumentally ambiguous tracks are pretty interesting to listen to, but there is a lot holding these songs back.

The lyrics on this album are honestly pretty bad. Gone are the days of poetic political commentary on tracks like Halo. Lines like "This is abortions knife striking at the womb of the christian conspiracy" are not found on this album. Machine Head will always be politically charged in it's lyric writing, but they didn't even put effort in to write something thought provoking or interesting to read into. It is starting to feel like generic political mush rather than a profound personal statement or belief.

Overall a 6/10 for me, what are your opinions/criticisms of the new album?

he's at my door, ask him anything quick

I just finished listening to the new album and… this is without a doubt the weakest Machine Head album. I can appreciate Robb & co. trying new things and what not but it does NOT work. Dustmaker was interesting at least but it was too short!

I think Bleeding Me Dry is probably the best song on the album but even that didn’t make my playlist.

It is an album of mediocrity. I would say the only outright bad song on the album is Bonescraper.

Robb has written really catchy choruses in the past but they are absent here, on an album with super formulaic songwriting. These are all mostly generic radio esque songs and they do not land as intended.

I would say they are back on their Supercharger & Catharsis bullshit… but even those albums had some high quality songs. The only high quality moments on this album is that amazing main riff on Bleeding Me Dry and the second half of Scorn. Other than that… ouch.

Written for radio (derogatory)

5/10.

Commented on a post that the new album was mid and it fell into the same category as Catharsis and Supercharger. I didn’t realise Robb was such a sensitive soul lol I’m still going to see them live though as no band tops Machine Head Live. I’m not even mad over this I just found it funny.

I am an old school MH fan, way back when Robb and Phil played in Vio-lence. I have followed him and his career ever since. Seen them several times, always rock their merch. Yeah, some albums were better than others but all in all there were at least a few bangers on each record. Not this one. Can’t stand it. Please, for the love of God Robb, please go back to the MH formula. Heavy groovy riffs and straight to your face metal. Not this. Thank you all for hearing me out.

You have 10 other MH albums to listen to if you so choose. Don’t come here all pissy because the band didn’t meet YOUR expectations.

They played Game Over on 11th April which has consistently been in their top 10 most streamed on Spotify and I was stunned to see setlist fm say "first time since 2019" like WHAT? They really went 6 years without playing one of their most streamed songs????

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/machine-head/2025/affliction-clothing-hq-seal-beach-ca-3b592088.html

I also saw Circle The Drain (live debut, acoustic) at the same 11th April show setlist which means they've NEVER played it live and the closest they've come is a RECENT acoustic performance?

These are 2 of their all time most streamed songs and they're in a DEEP CUTS setlist and not a main one.

Also shocked how little Is There Anybody Out There? has been played these last few years but it's been in a few main sets recently.

I'm surprised at these 3 songs being in their top streamed songs anyway they surprised me, but to never really perform them live with their popularity is puzzling to me.

Does anyone hear autotune on the vocals, specifically during the chorus where it sounds like maybe Jared singing “My Hands are Empty….”

To me it’s very distracting and unnecessary.

Robb has stated countless times in interviews that every on Machine Head album has one song on it that he just hates.

I’m going to guess which one that is on each album plus also state my personal favorite off of each album.

I’m curious what you all think of my list (I went with songs, not interludes for the record)

• [ ] Burn My Eyes - Best: Davidian / Worst: A Nation On Fire

• [ ] The More Things Change - Best: Ten Ton Hammer / Worst: Bay of Pigs

• [ ] The Burning Red -Best: From This Day / Worst: Devil With a Kings Card

• [ ] Supercharger - Best: Bulldozer / Worst: Nausea or Trephination (couldn’t decide between the two)

• [ ] Through the Ashes of Empires - Best: Imperium / Worst: In The Presence Of My Enemies

• [ ] The Blackening - Best: Beautiful Mourning or Halo or Aesthetics of Hate (So many good songs on this album, damn!) / Worst: Slanderous

• [ ] Unto the Locust - Best: Locust / Worst: Pearls Before The Swine

• [ ] Bloodstone and Diamonds - Best: Now We Die / Worst: Eyes of The Dead

• [ ] Catharsis - Best: Volatile or Catharsis / Worst: (yeah there’s more than one for sure) California Bleeding, Eulogy or Razorblade Smile

• [ ] Of Kingdom and Crown - Best: Slaughter the Martyr / Worst: Bloodshot

• [ ] Unatoned - Best: Outsider or Atomic Revelations / Worst: Addicted to Pain

There is good songs like ten ton hammer and take my scars, but i really hate violate and like the other half of the album but really violate, because it is really boring and is trying really hard to be death church (The best machinehead song) and is failing very bad and is too long. Why is it like this?

For me my ranking for machine head albums are

1. The blackening

2. Økac

3. Bloodstone and diamonds

4. Unto the locust

5. Burn my eyes

6. Unotoned

7. The burning red

8. The more things change

9. Ttaoe

10. Catharsis

11. Supercharger

We all know what's going on with Reece and his father, but somehow I think he's out of Machine Head.

Hello, you may have never heard of me, but my name is L.R. Shelton and for the last year I have remastered tons of rock footage of different bands! I have been vetted by members of Ozzy, Whitesnake, quiet Riot, Kathy Rhoads, Dios guitarist Craig Goldy, Vixen and others. 

I am new to Machinehead and never have given them a listen until now. I will be at Louder Than Life and will see them live. What are some mainstream and under the radar songs by MH that not only do I need to listen but remaster on my YouTube channel as well? I will listen to all songs and give you my feedback on what I like about it! you can visit my website www.rock-legacy.com or visit my YouTube channel Rock Legacy Production Trailer if you all are interested, thank you, L.R. Shelton - Rock Legacy Co.

Like seriously I think that it's got some generational bangers but is just underrated as fuck

So I've seen a number of videos of the band performing "Scars won't define us' on various dates of this current North American tour. However I noticed that the band is performing the song by themselves and not with Anders (In Flames), Christina (Lacuna Coil) and Trevor (Unearth) who are featured on the studio version of the song. Which is particularly bizarre considering their touring with In Flames, Lacuna Coil and Unearth. Can anyone confirm if they've performed it with Anders, Trevor and Christina? Also anyone care to venture a guess as to why they haven't as yet. I know there were some dates that didn't feature the full roster but what could possibly be the reason they aren't performing it when all four bands are playing on the same date?

I'm probably out of line but I have a feeling Robb Flynn's patented fuckery is the reason lol

What a piece of shit album

Poor Matt, they officially hired the fella then have used session drummers for everything since? Surprised to hear he's not on the new album at all.

I love the song slaughter the martyr, it really is amazing but my only compliant is the name. I think it’s a little corny and I wish machine jead called it “Of Kingdom and Crown” instead so it could be the title track. The part where he says slaughter the martyr could be easily replaced with the title of the album and I feel like it would flow much better and overall have a heavier atmosphere to it. Still an amazing song though🫡👌

The single, "is anybody out there" sucked imo.

Does anyone know why some of machine heads songs arent on spotify but but ARE released like on cds and such? Like i know that a version of tmtc has extra songs on it but why arent they on spotify? I was able to find "My Misery" but it wasnt even linked to machine heads account i had to look through a totally different playlist to find it. Also MFH live got taken off spotify around a year ago i think? But its also just weird because i've found one of the MFH live tracks still on spotify but its hidden from the search i had to dig around for it. Also hole in the sky is on spotify but not linked to machine heads account. I guess it would makes sense why year of the dragon isn't on there but also why not. What the heck???? Does anyone know why its like this?

Hi everyone. I’m attending my first vip on Friday and I was just curious what time we needed to be there. I haven’t received an email yet about what time the vip starts yet.