Aptly open a triptych entitled crescendo (there was water in his mouth) I Am Hell, this sequel promises grandiloquent. Religious choruses for the first component (Sangre Sani), complemented by a mid-tempo simply monstrous (I Am Hell) where Robb Flynn sings like a madman, deep and ultra-powerful, which bursts on the main course, to the Ashes Sky, 100% thrash "on Machine Head" overkill, opened by an evil riff, punctuated by devastating chorus (all at a mile a minute) and enclosed by an acoustic line where you can still feel the smoke s' raise the battlefield at the count of the dead. Eight twenty-five minutes in order to slaughter, and one can not help thinking that if the rest and the same barrel, it is not planted address! What slams open ... even stronger than Imperium, which opened yet Through The Ashes Of Empires so ... Imperial.
Behind, it makes live with a winding and very inspired riff that starts Be Still and Know place after one minute and aggressive mid jerky and strong breake originally sung by a verse above, and then taken down, which brings a new twist. After a landscape as varied as surprising, the second minute deliver one layer MH takes you by the throat with its epic chorus raised this insidious little riff, and the final third from downright thrash ride the best effect ... Guys are shaped. The same research on the two previous albums, as effectively, more melody and a more concise and compact side. Flynn is literally out of it, death limit and offers with sulfur breaks an amazing dimension to this title, which ends after nearly six minutes as he started on this hypnotic riff ...
From the first notes of Locust, by their disturbing dark bass line, you know you will be drawn into a dark tale which MH has the secret. After the regulatory minute ramp up, it farts on a Dantesque riff, not unlike the deadliest on Anthrax We've Come For You All. Developing mid-tempo up-pest, hyper catchy chorus, ethereal break, solo scalpel to the Flying V. Flynn and Demmel form an outstanding duo swordsmen in the world of thrash, it is now established, and strongly suggests the pair Hetfield / Hammett ... Succession? Thirty seven minutes later, after many twists and turns, it remains haggard by the power and density of this piece. At this stage, I am not far from thinking that this album is one of the best of the group (at least matching Through The Ashes ...) after the mythical Burn My Eyes ... continue.
This Is The End opens with a sober and fine acoustic lace, with a throbbing feedback in the background which rising, rising ... and one minute (yes, again ...) later, it is the explosion with guitars crossings and drum rolls, vocal attack of a Flynn owned, supported by clear vocals buddies (still a novelty) on the chorus. Classic, this title does not lack for much of a hell of fishing and avoids the pitfall of unnecessarily wasting its resources as in The Burning Red and Supercharger. To the point, and beauty, please. Cleverly interspersed with breaks confusing (official signature of the group) and saturation acute and short Flying V (Machine Head sound that we know well from the mythical Davidian), this piece takes you on a wild ride that takes a new turn its last quarter, with solos and rigor ... Impressive acceleration.
The celebration continues with the first acoustic notes of Darkness Within, accompanied by the clear voice of Flynn again recently influence, rhythmic declamation and supplied, cut àprès first minute (yes, again) by a melancholic slow, slow motion, and sets out again in any clean vocals with a background in tense crescendo, and guitars no longer, they explode after two minutes thirty restraint, but doomesque slow, much like Elegy on TTAOE. Solo Air and hyper taking Demmel, who rocks the house on this one, let alone the fact that this title will take everyone by surprise and prove that MH is also capable of finesse ... Well, in the fourth minute, it Thousand Lies rages way before a new restraint ... the whole is an ambitious and dramatic piece six minutes thirty look great, decorated with beautiful lyrics. Hats, Robb ...
With Pearls Before The Swine, return to the war, with the opening sly riff repeated drum rolls and jubilant dropping on a pure up-tempo thrash immediately broken by a very heavy mid, and we go for alternate halletante, with the red wire Flynn who do not loose the microphone, out of it, rabid, demonic its final sprinkled with echoes. Technically Dave Mc Lain provides like a beast behind the drums, as the rhythms of change are many, like the rest of the disc. And then there was the little details that truffent titles, as these sudden surges riffiques come from nowhere, like the one that closes the piece ...
Who We Are attack on a children's choir (those Robb, Phil and Juan) with a set four-melancholic strings (also present on I Am Hell and Darkness Within) and a rolling drum military trend ... rather not common, right? This is Flynn giving them the replica in its own way (upset), and the rest of the combo tumbles behind him, no less angry. This is not an album, it is a manifesto, of which this emblematic piece - the chorus is an epic juggernaut - says who they are (and they are not there to laugh or to deny). Who We Are should quickly become a live anthem, sung by all the public, as it is unifying and energetic. It closes the album down from its seven minutes as dense as virulent, and gives one wish ... again!
Robb Flynn, proud captain of the US skiff, produced this record in place of Colin Richardson faithful, withdrew at the last minute, assisted by Juan Urteaga (Exodus, Testament). Back from the moribund for two discs, he - with his team - transcended its own kind, avoided the repetition, brought a real novelty without yielding to fashion, servo his technique (and that of his guys) for a exacerbated feeling, revised and corrected (or rather tweaked) copying, and made the most of Through the Ashes of Empires and The Blackening (I re-listened carefully to have an updated ear) to keep complexity and inspiration, aggressiveness and finesse. It is even enhanced production, with among others the little demon and delectable echo it adds to his voice at the end of phrasing, the best effect. Unto The Locust is a fine piece of dark thrash, powerful, modern and inspired, which for me is in second class in the band's discography after the invincible Burn My Eyes (for now?) ... And even if, casting a glance at the ugly bag to vomit, we are not starting with a good a priori. Seventh album (a divine figure), seven titles ... seven minutes on average per title ... highly symbolic.
Machine Head Not only has only few competitors (Metallica?) With such a pad thrown in the pond, but sets high bar for its own next delivery ... Finally, already taking advantage of it, which landmark!
For the special edition, the fight continues with The Sentinel, surboostée recovery and ultra heavy Judas Priest (not singing but what Robb, have you eaten a demon at brekkie?), Which never ceases to atomize your neurons.
But the bold gamble has resumed Witch Hunt, the excellent title Rush, very dark version that Machine Head could go out alone (which recalls the takeover of Police, Message In A Bottle on The Burning Red), excluding this ultra raspy guitar sound instead of the softer Alex Lifeson. Flynn sings in clear and revisits the vocal rhythm. Featuring the made in its 2011 MH, this cult title takes a big lift!
And it ends with the acoustic version of Darkness Within, which shows Flynn in a refined and sensitive light and contrast to the aggressiveness it contains. Beautiful.
A DVD of the making of the album, twenty-two minutes, accompanies all, and brings a number of interesting details, generally showing a welded group and willing to make a sincere music with excellent spirit humble at that. With bonus tracks, this little DVD in my opinion makes this limited edition essential for any fan of MH-respecting.
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