Machine Head Return To The Blackening Style With ‘Chøke Øn The Ashes Øf Yøur Hate’, Announces Of Kingdom And Crown Album
After a mammoth three-track single from Machine Head last year, titled ‘Arrows in Words From the Sky‘, fans of the legendary San Francisco thrashers have been awaiting a new album, particularly as it’s been over four years since Catharsis was released (our review here).
With a mixed bag of one-off singles and EPs since then, plus the slightly confusing situation of who is actually in the band (given the last tour featured sets with both Burn My Eyes members and a new guitarist/drummer combo), it’s time to get down with a brand new Machine f*ckin’ Head track. Robb Flynn and his horsemen have been teasing a new single for weeks, and the time has finally come for ‘Choke On The Ashes of Your Hate‘ to be heard and shared.
‘Choke On The Ashes of Your Hate’ is a straight-up thrasher, the likes of which fans might have thought they wouldn’t hear again after the genre skipping heard on Catharsis. It’s got a flat out fast riff, reminiscent of the best Bay Area thrash, and a huge singalong chorus in which Flynn roars the title. There’s the classic MH pinch harmonics and Flynn sounds seriously pissed off on the pre-solo bridge. It’s a finger blistering solo too. I don’t want to hype it too much by saying it’s a return to The Blackening era, but man it’s pretty darn heavy and certainly sounds more like that version of Machine Head than Catharsis or most of the subsequent singles indicated.
Update: Machine Head have announced their tenth studio album Of Kingdom And Crown, which will drop on August 26, 2022 via Nuclear Blast / Imperium Recordings.
On the record Flynn comments:
“Thanks to my 2 teenage boys my family has become obsessed with this awesome Japanese anime series called “Attack On Titan.” The album’s concept was loosely inspired by the series in the sense that in the storyline, there is no “good” or “bad” guy, both characters believe they’re doing the right thing as it applies to their being, but make no mistake, both are committing acts of pure atrocity and evil. The opening track “SLAUGHTER THE MARTYR” is basically our character #1’s origin story.”
Words by KJ Draven @kjdraven
Stream Machine Head – ‘Choke On The Ashes of Your Hate‘ here and
Pre-order Of Kingdom And Crown here
Machine Head – Øf Kingdøm And Crøwn tracklisting
1. Slaughter The Martyr
2. Chøke Øn The Ashes Øf Yøur Hate
3. Becøme The Firestørm
4. Øverdøse
5. My Hands Are Empty
6. Unhalløwed
7. Assimilate
8. Kill Thy Enemies
9. Nø Gøds, Nø Masters
10. Bløødshøt
11. Røtten
12. Terminus
13. Arrøws In Wørds Frøm The Sky