Review Summary: The case For
A band that has a long and storied career will always come under the microscope more than others for one simple reason: they have touched everyone at some point and therefore everyone has their own expectations or imbedded judgements. The bigger the band the harsher the stares.
A more rose-coloured glasses approach lies with this reviewer having lived the hype of Machine Head bursting onto the metal scene in 1994 with “Burn My Eyes”, the Oakland upstarts ready to continue the renaissance Metallica had initiated with their black album and take up the new breed cause alongside the likes of Pantera and Biohazard. The sophomore “The More Things Change” furnished another suite of bangers but I can’t purport to be a staunch disciple of Machine Head although I did catch a number of their shows in the 00’s. Ironically this prodigal son reappeared at the most unlikely of albums, the literal “Catharsis”. Machine Head are now into their 11th studio album “Unatoned”, an artistic and stylistic sequel to 2022’s “Of Kingdom And Crown”.
The continuity carried through from “Of Kingdom and Crown” to “Unatoned” is unmistakable with only Reese Scruggs coming in for Decapitated’s Vogg on guitar and otherwise the same cast and crew. The album art, capitalized lettering and the much discussed Ø also curiously resurfacing. Robb Flynn has a knack for writing unapologetic catchy groove metal and first song “Atomic Revelations” is a case in point, bouncy riffs partnering with his gruff vocals countering the typically melodic chorus. Modern day MH is not that different from the Machine Head that captured everyone’s imagination in the groove metal / nu metal days with songs like “Unbound” more accessible than brutal but still carrying a heavy presence. Let’s get one thing straight - he’s unbreakable alright, stop trying to break him. And don’t want for anything else, this is Machine Head in 2025, releasing a damn enjoyable record that is not a lesson in progression but rather a lesson in stoicism.
As with other big metal bands, if you don’t vibe with the frontman you’ll be actively looking to criticize but for me Flynn is aight and can still bring a smile to the face with the unamused (but amusing) “oh f**k” at the end of “Outsider” adding a touch of personality. It’s not just Flynn as Scruggs, Jared MacEachern (bass) and Matt Alston (drums) contribute to this era’s established sound, which is more atmospheric and more melodic with simpler songs that make their point and depart including the brooding “Not Long for This World” and the galvanizing “These Scars Won’t Define Us”. The focus on positive energy, resistance and resilience are career embedded themes and you won’t find Machine Head straying here in this regard.
The stomping “Bonescraper” showcases Flynn’s voice in his 58th year which in my reckoning is exactly where it should be, suitably gravely in verse and surprisingly melodious in chorus and it’s cool to hear him belt out “love is a loaded gunnnn”. There’s an art to the mix for such an album with the classic MH thick guitars front and centre as always with keyboards subtly utilized in “Addicted to Pain” and others.
Lyrically it’s a procession of metal lifer war stories, the drugs and drink which old mate Flynn has lived, survived and thrived. “Bleeding Me Dry” also notable for the backing vocals in the chorus hitting “Dry … Bleed” so props to that lil contrib. The dig ribbed in “Scorn” hits a tone consistent with Machine Head’s standing in the world, measured but ultimately measurable.
