Last year saw the release of Unto The Locust, the band most recent studio album. Now the boys are back with the live album/DVD Machine F--king Head Live.
Machine Head are one of those bands you must have seen live in order to fully appreciate the raw power that only Flynn and company deliver on stage. This live album/DVD is a fine representation of that.
Most of the songs on the set list come from The Locust (6) and The Blackening (3), including “I Am Hell,” “Beautiful Mourning,” “Be Still And Know,” “Aesthetics Of Hate” and “Darkness Within.” The rest is comprised of familiar Machine Head classics like “Davidian,” “Old,” “Ten Ton Hammer” and “The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears.” There’s even one song from Supercharger, arguably the weakest album in the band’s extensive back catalog.
Songs like “I Am Hell,” “Be Still And Know” and “Darkness Within” work very well in conjunction with the older Machine Head material. However, I wouldn’t have minded seeing some more songs from Burn My Eyes and The More Things Change included on this live album/DVD. Tracks like “None But My Own,” “A Thousand Lies,” “Take My Scars” and “Down To None” are essential Machine Head tracks in my book.
It has to be said that Machine Head are in blood form. Every song is delivered with a sense of confidence and energy only very few bands can muster. Flynn is a master at working the crowds and he does this with gusto and frequent use of a couple of variations of the F-word. It gets a little banal as the live album/DVD progresses. But then again, it’s all part of the Machine Head live experience.
Machine F—king Head Live is a treat for everyone who holds the band dear. Some choices in the set list are questionable, but there’s still plenty to enjoy.
(released November 13, 2012 on Roadrunner Records)
