Machine Head – Burn My Eyes – Review

Machine Head

Burn My Eyes (Roadrunner)
by Paul Lee

Like some sort of mighty factory, they churn out a vicious and potent musical product. Machine Head is their moniker and they play with the furor of hellions on Burn My Eyes (Roadrunner). Machine Head fits somewhere in the thrashcore destruction category. They have all the power of a death metal outfit and could easily start a conflagration with the intensity of their rage. They’re a vicious reality band that confronts the enraging and twisted aspects of everyday life in our nation and in our homes. Machine Head works a strong melody sense into their searing concoctions that make them even more forceful. Vocalist Rob Flynn throws some actual singing in along with his vocal raging to keep things interesting. They can stomp at a steamroller’s pace and then drop into sixth gear to make their machine fly into hyperspeed.

With Logan Mader on guitar, Adam Duce on bass and backing vocals and Chris Kontos on drums, these four demons from Oakland have the conviction and creativity to unleash unfettered mayhem. These guys seem to have grown up on the same sorts of thrash and hardcore as bands like Pantera and Sepultura, but have their own take on the scene. Burn My Eyes is an impressive album and gives me hope that there are still original and exciting heavy bands out there.

With songs like “Real Eyes, Realize Real Lies,” and “The Rage To Overcome,” Machine Head writes lyrics that confront harsh topics in intelligent and constructively angry ways. There’s even a tune, “Davidian,” about the David Koresh debacle with some powerful words:

“Burn my fist to the concrete
My fear is my strength
Power, rage unbound because
Been pounded by the streets
Hatred is purity
The bullet connects at last
Let freedom ring with a shotgun blast.”

Adorning the cover of Burn My Eyes is some insane artwork by famed comicbook artist Dave McLean (he still graces the covers of DC’s The Sandman and also did Arkham Asylum). With their vehement and jarring sound, Machine Head are likely headed for a rosy future (quite an irony for such a dark band). They are truly a force to be reckoned with.