By Avinash Mittur
Feb. 17th 2012, The Avalon, Hollywood CA: Machine Head’s career might be one the greatest comeback stories in metal history. After releasing two of the heaviest and punishing albums of the ‘90s, the band succumbed to the nu-metal movement and sank into obscurity. With 2003’s Through the Ashes of Empires though, they rebounded with a return to their thrash and groove metal roots. Now after the release of their twin prog-groove-thrash masterpieces, The Blackening and Unto the Locust, Machine Head are more popular and successful than ever. Few other heavy metal bands have been so justly rewarded for taking risks and making dense, complex records. Last Friday night in Hollywood, Machine Head treated hundreds of their fans to a blistering two hour set that covered their whole career, warts and all.
I arrived in time to catch the second opening act, Suicide Silence. Perhaps the most successful band out of the current “deathcore” movement, they were greeted with a rousing reception from their home crowd. Suicide Silence shirts were a common sight on the floor and one fan could even be seen holding a poster of the band up for their entire 40 minute set. Maybe there’s something I don’t “get.” Mitch Lucker’s vocals alternated between death grunts and what I can only describe as the squeal a pig makes under extreme distress. Breakdowns seemed to occur every other minute, the drumming seemed to only consist of slow rock beats and blast beats, and the riffs all had the same downtuned low chug. This Hollywood audience loved it though, and my inherent dislike of their music shouldn’t influence the assessment of this performance. Lead guitarist Mark Heylmun could shred, that much is certain. His solos often incorporated sweep picking, neo-classical licks and plenty of dive-bombs to make any guitar lover happy. Mitch’s energy was also fun to see, although he mostly remained planted on a raised pedestal throughout the set. Mitch would often jump, crouch, kneel and engage the audience to mosh often. He was clearly feeding off the enthusiasm the crowd exhibited, and he proved to be an effective frontman in that regard. He even brought his young daughter onstage to say hi to the audience, which was a fun touch for much of the band’s family and friends who were in attendance. They gave a good performance for their style of music, and the attendees of the Avalon were thrilled to been a part of it.
I might not like the music one bit, but I’m happy that there are metal bands with loyal audiences who are finding success in today’s industry. I will probably never enjoy deathcore, but if groups like Suicide Silence continue to tour hard, remain true to their musical integrity and legitimately earn their fanbase, then I can only wish them the best. In the meantime, I’ll probably be spending my time and money elsewhere on bands that I myself enjoy.
Returning to Los Angeles as a headliner for the first time in four years, Machine Head began their show with the ominous chanted intro of Sangre Sani, the first piece of their newest slab of material, Unto the Locust. The band then entered with guitarist/vocalist Robb Flynn’s cry of “I am death!” With an extra death metal vocal effect added and a wash of red lighting, the band and their tech crew truly created a hellish atmosphere. The set really kicked off with part three of the track though, marked by four quick hi-hat hits from drummer Dave McClain and absolutely crushing riffs from Robb and his cohort in guitar wizardry, Phil Demmel. Everyone in the band nailed their parts with laser-like precision; this was a notable feat given that much of the set consisted of material from their most progressive albums. Robb did well on his vocal parts, even if they weren’t as perfectly executed as his guitar playing. Much to my surprise, bassist Adam Duce truly stepped up in the vocal department. He would often sing choruses along with Robb, and even traded off on lines during I Am Hell. His vocal contributions made the songs sound even closer to the studio versions, while still ably providing the bottom end with his bass playing.
The set mainly consisted of new material, with nine of the fifteen songs played being from their two most recent albums. The band was complemented by a large screen and an array of lighting racks. The screen usually projected images of album art, while the lighting racks changed with the tempo and melody of the songs. More than most other concerts I attend, the lighting at this show was phenomenal. A notable moment when the music and visuals all came together was the chorus of Be Still and Know. As Robb uttered the words “and the sun will rise” the lighting racks would shoot white light from the audience up to the ceiling. It was one of many fantastic moments when all the elements of the show came together and presented a total experience for the audience. The sound was also nearly perfect- guitar solos from both Phil and Robb cut through easily, Adam’s bass wasn’t too high in the mix, and Dave’s drums were mixed to perfection. It might have been a tad too loud, but earplugs easily remedied that problem. The setlist was well done in the sense that it covered every album that the band had done, but some tracks, particularly The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears, felt out of place when placed aside their recent material.
Although the band mostly went straight from one track to another, Robb occasionally addressed the audience for a quick speech or story. The most meaningful was easily his anecdote about Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell. After the story (which involved Ketel 1 vodka, pledges to whiskey, weed and Sabbath, concerts, a gnarly hangover and the sweetness and humor of the late Darrell) was finished, the band played their tribute to their fallen brother, Aesthetics of Hate. It would be wrong to say that the new tracks fit in with the old ones perfectly. Rather, the new ones were received just as well as the old ones, despite sounding vastly different. The audience often gave as big a cheer for classics like Ten Ton Hammer as they did for the band’s newest single, Locust.
Robb, who was clearly appreciative of the large crowd, was always happy to lead the crowd in chants and fist-raising. The band did well with their stage presence, Phil and Adam often moved about when their backing vocals weren’t required. Robb’s final speech came before Darkness Within, and mainly focused on Machine Head’s refusal to compromise to trends, their touring ethic and the loyalty of their fans. It was a nice speech, even if it ironically preceded their most mainstream-friendly track to date. As if to drive his point about the audience’s loyalty home, the crowd continued to chant the closing melody long after the song had finished. Clearly, this group of fans loved every minute of this set.
Machine Head finished off their set with Who We Are, and even had a tape of the child choir intro to start it off. The intro was even complemented by photos of fans holding notes that explained what Machine Head’s music meant to them. Much of the crowd seemed to know the song’s anthemic refrain, and was more than happy to sing along with Robb. This song actually seemed to stand out more than many of the others in the set; no other Machine Head chorus seemed to be more of a rallying cry for the fans that night. After the customary encore break, the band returned for a finishing salvo of Halo and the band’s first signature number, Davidian. Halo was one of the absolute highlights of the show – seeing Robb and Phil nail their dual solo to perfection was a total delight.
For many fans in attendance, this concert was a massive success. While the few dedicated thrash metal fans that came to this show may not have enjoyed the opening acts, the hundreds of other metalcore and deathcore lovers who did surely loved every minute of the show. As such, I would have to call this a highly successful bill, despite my personal experience not being a perfect one. The thrasher in me hopes that they return with a more old-school act like Warbringer or Evile, but I’m sure that the legions of deathcore fans at the Avalon on Friday night wouldn’t mind an act like Suicide Silence again. Regardless of genre-preferences though, all the Machine Head fans who have seen the Eighth Plague tour want them back, the sooner the better.
Rating: 9.5/10
Related: Machine Head picture gallery
Setlist:
1. I Am Hell
2. Be Still and Know
3. Imperium
4. Beautiful Mourning
5. The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears
6. Locust
7. This is the End
8. Aesthetics of Hate
9. Old
10. Darkness Withing
11. Bulldozer
12. Ten Ton Hammer
13. Who We Are
Encore
14. Halo
15. Davidian
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