Machine Head cranks up intensity with 'The Blackening'

By: Brandon Weiss

Posted: 3/9/07

Machine Head has been around for a long time, but with the release of their new album, The Blackening, the band strives toward putting forth a degree of intensity that they have never exhibited to date. The Blackening is raw and heavy, and reflects on obvious influences such as Pantera and thrash. However, throughout the album, the band never loses a sense of melody. Guitarist Phil Demmel says the album is not a concept album, although it is a "socially conscious album, more so than the previous records."

Phil adds, "There's a couple of political songs on [the record]. We're not a political band by any means, but that's the only common thread."

The Blackening exhibits a change in the musicality of the band. While their previous material included a sense of nu-metal on occasion, their new album is more focused on aggression, and has a greater sense of thrash. Demmel attributes the change in sound to the fact that the band has changed since the last record.

"We're a different band," Demmel says. "Originally, most of the last record - most of the main parts - was pretty much written when I joined … except for two or three songs. If you listen to those songs, you see what I contributed to, and the direction that we're going here. I follow Dave [McClain, guitarist] a little bit longer; [the songs are] a lot more dynamic in structure. You'll be introduced to some more intricate riffing; we kind of just moved toward large ends and stuff like that."

Additionally, Machine Head did something unique on this record. The band had fans come in and record a backup vocal part for the album.

"It was cool to have them be a part of what we were doing," Demmel says. "That part of the song with chanting really needed key vocals. What better group of people than the people who are going out and supporting you, and buying the album, to give that opportunity to be a part of it?"

According to Demmel, the fact that the band's new album has already managed to make its way all over the Internet doesn't particularly bother him.

"It's important to note that it kind of is, in a sense, to our advantage because the album is a great album. It's getting a pre-release buzz going. There are people that aren't going to buy CDs no matter what you do. I think this will definitely get people that are more on the fence about it to go toward making the purchase."

The band is excited to be playing on such a stacked tour lineup right now. Their current tour includes Lamb of God and Trivium, two bands currently on the cutting edge of heavy metal. The band even had "a little impromptu jam session" on one of their recent dates where the guitarist says the band played some "very bad covers of Pantera, Slayer, Black Sabbath," but all in good fun.

After their current tour comes to an end, the band has big plans for another tour, which Demmel would not elaborate on, but later was revealed on www.blabbermouth.net to be an opening slot for the recently reunited Black Sabbath/Ronnie James Dio combination, named Heaven and Hell.

The guitarist says that after their tour with Heaven and Hell, the band has more plans. "We're going to do some festivals in June, hopefully do some Ozzfest or Sounds of the Underground, and do our full Europe run in September and October, and headline the USA probably January and February," Demmel says.

Machine Head's new album, The Blackening, hits stores March 27 from Roadrunner Records. The band will stop at The Electric Factory March 23 with Lamb of God and Trivium, and will play at the Wachovia Center May 10 with metal gods Megadeth and Heaven and Hell.