Love ‘em or loathe ‘em, Machine Head have decorated the heavy metal oeuvre with some undeniably influential albums. 1994’s ‘Burn My Eyes’ offered a groundbreaking debut, while 2007’s `The Blackening’ forced the metal community to rethink how they saw the Bay Area thrashers. With a handful of divisive records, such as the nu-metal influenced ‘Supercharger’, and more recently the much discussed ‘Catharsis’, all eyes are now focused on the band’s new studio album, ‘Of Kingdom and Crown.’ Which drops on August 26th and has already begun converting naysayers with its leading singles.
A concept album loosely based upon the Japanese anime series, Attack on Titan, the arch of the narrative found on ‘Of Kingdom and Crown’ is not built around the traditional formula. Instead, we follow two rival, morally ambiguous characters, Ares and Eros, who believe their acts of atrocity are justified. Set against the backdrop of a decimated, futuristic wasteland illuminated by a crimson red sky, Ares sets out on a relentless pursuit to hunt down Eros, the murderer of his lover, Amethyst. Yet Eros walks with his own demons. The core of which is rooted in his mother’s death by overdose. A tragedy that has radicalized Eros in its aftermath. Lyrically, ‘Of Kingdom and Crown’ guides, the listener through this story while documenting how the lives of these characters intertwine.
The opening track “Slaughter the Martyr” serves as one character’s origin story and is a crowning achievement on ‘Of Kingdom and Crown.” With an unapologetically lengthy and atmospheric intro, “Slaughter the Martyr” proceeds to butcher through its nearly eleven-minute run in the best way possible. As things progress, listeners are offered brief respites to come up for air with the use of storytelling devices. “Overdose” introduces the first of three interludes that highlight key moments in the narrative. Prefacing the grieving harmonies of “My Hands are Empty” and the savage album standout that is “Unhallowed.” Both of which sees vocalist/guitarist Rob Flynn, bassist Jared MacEachern, guitarist Vogg and drummer Navene Koperweis performing at their best.
Concept albums are tricky, though, especially when trying to make each track land with impact. Admittedly, some here take more than a few spins to get under your skin. But, to their credit, and to the credit of producer Zack Ohren, they eventually do. If previous Machine Head records featured the occasional vapid, vacuous inclusion, there is none of that here. The stunning, “No Gods No Masters” alongside the harmonic riddled “Rotten” and the punk-infused “Bloodshot” are rallying battle cries guaranteed to go down a treat live. While others like “Kill Thy Enemies” feel a little on the nose as it attempts to confront the obvious. And yet, the record wouldn’t feel complete without it.
If you are determined to seek revenge, then you better make your enemies interesting. Though Ares and Eros don’t always prove to be as stimulating as the music they contend with, they do enough to keep you following them right to the bitter end. Thirteen great tracks in one place don’t necessarily make for a great album. However, so much thought has been given here to sequencing, atmosphere, and narrative on “Of Kingdom and Crown’, it is likely to be remembered as a colossal installment in the Machine Head discography.
