Machine Head | Unatøned | Nuclear Blast

 

 Formed in Oakland, California, in 1991, Machine Head has carved a name into heavy metal’s bedrock through their relentless aggression and creative ambition. Led by founding member Robb Flynn, the band emerged with their now-iconic debut, “Burn My Eyes” (1994), bringing groove metal into sharper focus during an era dominated by grunge and post-thrash confusion. Over the years, the band’s lineup has changed several times, but Flynn has remained the creative nucleus. Known for their stylistic shifts—from the pure aggression of “The More Things Change…,” to the experimental “Supercharger,” and the acclaimed melodic balance of “The Blackening”—Machine Head has never stood still. Their willingness to evolve has been both celebrated and criticized, but what remains constant is their ferocity and sincerity.

With "Unatøned", Machine Head steps into their eleventh studio album carrying decades of weight but no signs of fatigue. This release arrives not as a gesture of survival but as a calculated reaffirmation of their will. It is a bruising, emotional, and determined work, shaped by a tight focus and written with a sense of movement—both literally and figuratively.

The sonic character of the album is heavy, mid-tempo driven, and emotionally anchored in grief, anger, and perseverance. From the opening of "Landscape Øf Thørns" through to the closing blows of "Scørn", the album follows a structure that does not linger long in any one place. This conciseness works to its advantage. Songs are shaped with precision, but without losing their edge.

Guitars carry a tone that feels dry and sanded down—abrasive without resorting to overproduction. The bass presence is thicker than on previous outings, providing a vital undercurrent to the momentum, while the drums strike with clarity and intent, restrained from over-complication but never simplistic.

⁣

Flynn’s vocal performance walks the emotional line carefully. He delivers harsh and melodic sections with a firm grip, never sounding like he’s chasing former versions of himself. Instead, he sounds resolved. His cleans, often a source of division among longtime listeners, feel less theatrical here and more grounded. Songs such as "These Scars Wøn't Define Us" and "Bleeding Me Dry" make effective use of this restraint, while tracks like "Dustmaker" and "Bønescraper" reaffirm that Machine Head can still channel groove and intensity with discipline.

Lyrically, the album speaks from a place of confrontation—internal and external. There is no hiding behind metaphor or abstraction. Topics of grief, betrayal, societal decay, and emotional collapse dominate, yet the tone never leans into self-pity. Instead, it comes across as a hardened reflection. The language is direct, even when poetic, often framed through personal perspective rather than political messaging.

There is a consistent texture throughout "Unatøned"—one built from dissonance, rhythmic tension, and sudden melodic turns. The American metal influence is apparent, but it does not mimic trends. Instead, it speaks a familiar dialect through its own phrasing. This gives it both identity and connection to the broader lineage of Machine Head’s sound. The production by Flynn himself ensures it doesn’t drift into excess; songs sound cut to their core and intentional.

Even though there are no long compositions like in "The Blackening" era and no left turns like "Catharsis" offered, "Unatøned" is not a conservative release. It is a calculated recentering. It finds weight not through grandeur but through efficiency. There is sadness, there is rage, but also a sense of survival threaded through it all. If one word defines the album, it’s resolve.

Score: 8.3