MACHINE HEAD: “Burn My Eyes” (Roadrunner)

MACHINE HEAD aren’t quite a standard issue Bay Area outfit. They work the same kind of terrain but, here, the usual power chords and time changes are made bearable by the super-fast drumming, the odd deviation from the norm, and the crystal clear and punchy production.

Vocalist Robb Flynn does his best to actually make the words understandable, which makes a change, even if the lyrics don’t exactly hold the secret of life. Justice, corruption, the system, lies, pollution and world decline, all point to a typical pseudo socially-aware metal-writing approach. As often happens, however, the mask slips and we see those old favourites, war, death, hate, suffering and, of course, Aul Nick, hiding behind it.

Machine Head seem to blame the media for a lot of things, saying that it “keeps us blind” (‘A Nation On Fire’, ‘Block’) etc. The flip side lyrically is summed up by the first verse of Old: “I am the man that defends all things profane/6000 years is the time I shall reign/And with a grin drink the holy blood of swine/Impurity make the blood turn into wine.”

Until this diabolical drivel is axed, it’s going to be hard for anyone to take anything else Machine Head say seriously. Lead guitar-wise it’s also difficult to give much credit due to the totally Hammett-esque tone, and the lack of any imagination.

Overall, Burn My Eyes is unsurprising, obviously flawed, but ultimately quite listenable. Maybe next time Machine Head will get it right.

• Graham Neilan