Review Summary: "Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change."
The Blackening by Machine Head is an anomaly. Pop music has a proliferation of one-hit wonders whereas the metal genre is littered with one-record monoliths that garner an unfailing reverence from fans long after their release. There is an interesting phenomenon behind these releases that almost prompts the listener to scour academic journals to understand the psychological implications on why these bands reach an impasse after dropping a monumental record. This phenomenon only becomes more intriguing once you realize that you usually find this occurring with debut albums. There is likely a logical explanation(s) as to why this is so common place. Perhaps the album was released at a period of time where the scene was susceptible to the message or atmosphere that this record was able to convey. If it was a genre defining record, then fans may subconsciously be placing this release on an insurmountable pedestal. Whatever the reason may be, there is one cardinal truth–it is better for a band to rest on their laurels than to try to recapture lightning in a bottle. The reason why The Blackening is so impressive is because Machine Head didn't try to replicate Burn My Eyes: Instead, they created another monster entirely.
Rather than returning to their thrash/groove glory days, The Blackening expands on the sound Machine Head had cultivated throughout the years. Now, as many of you know, Machine Head polarized their fan base by adopting the Nu-Metal sound following their second release. This record lacked the grit and finesse that was seen on their classic debut. Eager to hop on the main stream success that Nu-Metal had promised, Machine Head began to truly look like another band who was going to fall prey to the debut curse. But then 2003 saw the release of Through the Ashes of Empires, and new life was breathed into the band once again. Now, I previously stated that it is far better for a band to rest on their laurels than attempt to recreate that "lightning in a bottle" moment. I still hold that sentiment to be true, mainly because it never works. The conditions, setting, and the musicians themselves are all operating in a different atmosphere. The "returning to our roots" pitch, is really just a warning that you will be slightly more pleased with this effort, but never truly satisfied. However, the reason why Through the Ashes of Empires was a success is because Machine Head did not attempt to replicate Burn My Eyes; they simply found a way to synthesize the soundscapes in a manner that their scattered fan base could enjoy. This appears to be the approach the band adopted in The Blackening, albeit in a much more refined manner and with more prominent progressive influences.
The Blackening is adverse to genre labeling. Progressive thrash is as much of a misnomer for this record as Nu-metal or Groove metal is. In fact, the endeavor of finding the proper nomenclature is a game in semantics that detracts from the stunning feats that this record accomplishes. The elements of all the aforementioned genres can certainly be found on this record, but to reduce the album as a whole to these arbitrary labels would frankly just be a waste of time. Time that could be spent acknowledging that this record f*cking bangs! The Blackening isn't some Mary Shelley novel put to sound. The implementation of the sounds that the band has adopted over the years is done with such surgical proficiency that the Frankenstein they have created is far more handsome than Boris Karloff's portrayal in the film. Now, if you'll forgive me, I'd like to continue this analogy as it captures the reception this record has garnered rather well.
The villagers despised/feared Frankenstein's monster because they didn't understand it. This isn't to say that your dislike of this record is indicative of your lack of intelligence. I am also not saying that you are incapable of understanding this album. People can like or dislike an album for a variety of reasons and none of these are tied to your capability to reason. However, it could be indicative of your capability for tolerance. There are fans who are strict adherents to the tenets of thrash metal and any deviation whatsoever will be dismissed with utter disdain. Likewise, there are fans that are seeking catchy, simple riffs and the slightest flirtation with progressive music will be an absolute turn off. Both of these responses are perfectly reasonable. With that being said, if you are a music fan in general than the views of a thrash metal purist or progressive metal purist aren't exactly the standard this album should be held to. In fact, that isn't the standard that any album should be held to unless you belong to those schools of thought. If you aren't particularly married to a specific style of metal, than you may really find some enjoyable music here. A common critique this album receives is that it is a musical Frankenstein. Maybe it is. But f*ck me Shelly this Frankenstein is kinda sexy.
