If you’ve toured the world countless times, sold over a million records and near enough reached the pinnacle of the metal world, it’s fair to start taking some risks. American heavy metal titans Machine Head have done exactly that with their latest album ‘Catharsis’. At a point in their career where they’re happy to partake in what they enjoy most, whether that’s a tour of three hour long sets or missing out the festival season, mixing up their sound to a divisive degree may be one risk that Machine Head will go on to regret.
Right from the start, front man Rob Flynn wastes no time ticking off some typical Machine Head Bingo cliches as his notorious potty mouth opens ‘Volatile’ with a huge “Fuck the World” before launching into a full array of uninspired lyrics.
Luckily, despite the awkward start, there’s still plenty of their renowned skull crushing intensity. ‘Hope Regrets Hope’ offers some of Dave McClain’s finest lightning-quick drumming and Flynn’s lyrics and vocals make up for some of his earlier mishaps. Elsewhere, the title track (featuring a string section no less) features a brutal breakdown and a furious solo from Phil Demmel. The lead guitarist one-ups that on ‘Beyond the Pale’ with a massive Metallica-like riff that will send shivers down the aching necks of metal-heads all over the world.
‘Triple Beam’ even has a sprinkling of their nu metal past, and ‘Grind You Down’ and ‘Psychotic’ offer a no-holds-barred heaviness that we haven’t seen from the band in over ten years, reminding us how brutal Machine Head can sound when they are on top of their game.
Aside from the overwhelming 75 minute length, the controversy within ‘Catharsis’ lies in Flynn’s more melodic parts. Never one to sound like a choirboy, his vocals are consistently cold, however when his voice goes into full force metal mode, like on the outstanding ‘Kaleidoscope’, he proves that he’s on another level compared to almost the entire metal landscape.
The main audience splitter is ‘Bastards’, a track that not only attacks the modern political climate in America, but uses considerable homophobic and racist language. Whatever the context of the song and lyrics, the song has caused rifts within their fan base. While some love it for the melody, the metal or just the message, others hate it for the exact same reasons. It’s sure to go down a storm on the live circuit thanks to a chorus that is perfect for those big, five-pint-later singalongs in Camden.
‘Catharsis’ is certainly a mixed bag, going from one extreme to the other without any hesitation. The album is not a touch on ‘The Blackening’ yet Machine Head should be applauded for continuing to make some of the most unremorsefully heavy music in the scene. When Machine Head are at their finest, this goliath of a listen will have you agreeing that ‘Catharsis’ is certainly a risk worth taking.
LOUIS KERRY