Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Now They Thrive

New Song Review!

Band: Machine Head
Song: "Now We Die"
Released: September 25, 2014
Genre(s): Groove Metal, Symphonic Metal
Single from the upcoming album "Bloodstone and Diamonds"
My Review: Machine Head burst onto the metal scene in 1994 with their highly acclaimed debut album "Burn My Eyes." Since then, and especially in the last ten years, they have improved their songwriting in leaps and bounds. Their 2005 album "The Blackening" contained two songs approaching ten minutes in length, and is considered their most aggressive and bombastic release up to this point. 2011's "Unto The Locust" saw them introducing more complex songs and introducing a greater sense of melody, while keeping all the aggression of their previous release. And if this song from their upcoming album is any indication, they've taken all those aspects, and taken them all to another level.

This is a 7 minute song, not unusual by the band's standards, and goes through drastic changes in mood throughout, making this arguably their most dynamic song yet. This epic song makes use of a string orchestra in the intro, choruses, and bridge, elevating the mood and giving the segments in which their used an anthem-like quality. Vocalist Robb Flynn's perfectly in-tune growls are abound with aggression, and the vocal melodies used in the chorus create a surprisingly uplifting mood in combination with the strings. Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn once again prove that they are one of the greatest lead guitar tandems in modern metal, with a guitar solo rich with twin harmonies that fit in perfectly with the bombastic nature of this song. After the guitar solo, the instruments all quiet down while Flynn utilizes the opposite end of his vocal range with the soft and cleanly sung bridge. Slowly, the strings pick back up, the rest of the band starts again, and the bridge builds and builds up, introducing the songs' grand finale. You've just completed another epic 7-minute journey with Machine Head.
The Foundry's Score: 9/10
The Foundry will be reviewing Machine Head's album "Bloodstone and Diamonds" after it is released on November 7, 2014.

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