Review by Dave Martin
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Date of Release: 25 April 2025
Heavy Metal stalwarts, Machine Head, return with their 11th Studio Album. The band was founded by Vocalist/guitarist Rob Flynn in 1991 has been through numerous line ups over the years with Flynn being the sole original member. The latest incarnation includes recent addition Reece Scruggs who officially joined last year. Unatoned arrives three years after “Of Kingdom and Crown”, an album I really enjoyed particularly when played live.
The new album encapsulates Flynn’s distinctive style to music creation and was crafted while the band was touring between mid-2023 and the end of 2024 ultimately being recorded between Sharkbite Studios and Drop of Sun Recording. Flynn also takes a hand in production of the record.
The album commences with a haunting track “Landscape of Thorns” that sets a somber tone before transitioning to a brief piano intro to second track “Atomic Revelations” that quickly progresses into a more typical thrash riff heavy metal track with Flynn’s aggressive vocalisations. The forceful sections are interweaved with more melodic choruses with space given by the infrequent use of piano before a blistering guitar solo. The song ends as it started and then progresses to the album’s lead track “Unbound”. This slightly slower and more pronounced musical offering encapsulates all of the sounds synonymous with Machine Head. Fourth track” Outsider” feels like a throw back to earlier work by the band with it’s variety of vocal stylings and space within sections of the song giving contrast and providing interest to the listener.
“Not long for this world” is not as aggressive as the previous offerings on the album and demonstrates more of Flynn’s natural singing compared to his more guttural work and the guitar work is less distorted and frantic which gives the album some space.
“These Scar Remind Us” is anthemic and is likely to make the cut for live sets going forward and you can just envision a crowd singing the chorus back in unison at the band. This is something we will likely see in their upcoming tour and I hope to hear it like when the group headline Bloodstock Festival.
In stark contrast to the early part of the album “Dustmaker” is eerie and simplistic with guest female vocals and not really identifiable as a Machine Head song. “Bonehead” however is most definitely identifiable as a track from this band. This is another track that is likely to make the live set and be adopted by the fans due to it’s catchy chorus and strong drum pulse.
“Addicted to pain” opens with pounding drums, a guitar undertone that reminds me of a Slipknot riff and also incorporates some subtle synth work. The guitar breakdown adds interest and has a building effect before launching into the brief but high octane solo.
From the halfway stage of the album there is an experimental feel to the album where there are subtle but noticeable introductions to the normal stylings of the group and this is most apparent in “Bleeding me Dry” with the different effects applied to the vocals, alternative drum rhythm and use of a bell.
Penultimate track doesn’t mess about and proceeds straight to Flynn’s aggressive side before giving way to a more mellow section. The is a raw quality to his voice in sections and this gives the track a more emotional feel.
The album culminates with two contrasting tracks “Shards of Shattered Dreams” and “Scorn” that epitomise the variation of work within the album and demonstrates how the band can maintain their sound whilst also adding variety to their efforts.
Overall, the album will appeal to the Machine Head faithful and several of the tracks with translate well to their live shows. The band under Flynn’s guidance still produces powerful metal music that will keep them at the forefront of the genre.
This Spring, MACHINE HEAD are embarking on a massive North American 24-date tour alongside labelmates and Swedish melodic death metal icons IN FLAMES, Italian metal titans LACUNA COIL, and American metalcore outfit UNEARTH.
Band Members:
Robb Flynn | Vocals & Guitars
Jared MacEachern | Bass & Vocals
Reece Scruggs | Guitar
Matt Alston | Drums
Tracklist
1.LANDSCAPE ØF THØRNS 2. ATØMIC REVELATIØNS3. UNBØUND 4.ØUTSIDER 5.NØT LØNG FØR THIS WØRLD 6. THESE SCARS WØN’T DEFINE US 7.DUSTMAKER 8.BØNESCRAPER 9.ADDICTED TØ PAIN 10.BLEEDING ME DRY 11. SHARDS ØF SHATTERED DREAMS 12.SCØRN
Confirmed dates for MACHINE HEAD’s North American Tour 2025 with IN FLAMES, LACUNA COIL, UNEARTH are:
4/05/2025 U.S. Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
4/07/2025 U.S. Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
4/09/2025 U.S. San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park
4/10/2025 U.S. Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
4/12/2025 U.S. Las Vegas, NV @ Sick New World **
4/13/2025 U.S. Salt Lake City, UT @ Union
4/15/2025 U.S. Denver, CO @ The Fillmore Auditorium
4/17/2025 U.S. San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec
4/18/2025 U.S. Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
4/19/2025 U.S. Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
4/21/2025 U.S. Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
4/22/2025 U.S. Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
4/23/2025 U.S. Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
4/25/2025 U.S. Reading, PA @ Santander Arena
4/26/2025 U.S. Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
4/27/2025 CAN Montreal, QC @ M’Telus
4/28/2025 CAN Toronto, ON @ History
4/30/2025 U.S. Cincinnati, OH @ Andrew J. Brady Music Center
5/02/2025 U.S. Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
5/03/2025 U.S. Chicago, IL @ Radius
5/04/2025 U.S. Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore
5/05/2025 CAN Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings
5/07/2025 CAN Calgary, AB @ Grey Eagle Event Center
5/08/2025 CAN Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall
5/10/2025 CAN Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place
**Festival date – MACHINE HEAD & LACUNA COIL only
MACHINE HEAD return to the UK in August 2025 to headline BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR festival.
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