Machine Head – UNATØNED
Shinigami Records/Nuclear Blast Records
9,0/10,0
Brief:
Very few bands make it to their 11th album. Even fewer do so with the same fire and fury that defined their early years. But Machine Head isn’t just any band. For over three decades, the personification of determination, Founder/Vocalist/Guitarist Robb Flynn, has led Machine Head on an uncompromising path – one fueled by defiance, reinvention, and a relentless pursuit of evolution. Now, with ‘UNATØNED’ (out in April on Nuclear Blast), they’ve once again sharpened their sound into its most direct and impactful form to date.
That fighting spirit, paired with a steadfast commitment to reinvention, has kept Machine Head at the forefront of heavy music. With 5 million albums sold, over a billion streams (650 million alone on Spotify), and a Grammy nomination, their legacy is indeed impossible to deny – but nostalgia has never been part of the equation. ‘UNATØNED’ is a testament to momentum, an album honed to its sharpest edge, forged on creative discipline and the hunger to push forward.
Determined to challenge himself, Flynn set strict songwriting parameters for ‘UNATØNED,’ shorter, more focused songs with a decidedly American feel, unconventional key changes, and shifting structures that break expectations. That self-imposed restraint resulted in a lean, unrelenting album that captures Machine Head at their most potent. Written in motion – on the road, in hotel rooms, and across continents – it reflects the raw energy of their return to the global festival circuit after an 11-year hiatus.
The album drips with melancholy melodies, and yet hammers with bludgeoning riffs, soars with anthemic sing-a-longs of love-lost and sadness, to bellowing power and undeniable confidence.
‘UNATØNED’ is Machine Head proving once again that longevity in metal isn’t about comfort – it’s about taking risks, standing firm in conviction, and refusing to stagnate. Eleven albums deep, they remain as fierce, relevant, and unstoppable as ever.
[Edited Press Release]
Tracklist:
1 – LANDSCAPE ØF THØRNS
2 – ATØMIC REVELATIØNS
3 – UNBØUND
4 – ØUTSIDER
5 – NØT LØNG FØR THIS WØRLD
6 – THESE SCARS WØN’T DEFINE US
7 – DUSTMAKER
8 – BØNESCRAPER
9 – ADDICTED TØ PAIN
10 – BLEEDING ME DRY
11 – SHARDS ØF SHATTERED DREAMS
12 – SCØRN
Main Focus Tracks:
2 – ATØMIC REVELATIØNS
5 – NØT LØNG FØR THIS WØRLD
6 – THESE SCARS WØN’T DEFINE US
8 – BØNESCRAPER
Other Recommended Tracks:
3 – UNBØUND
4 – ØUTSIDER
9 – ADDICTED TØ PAIN
10 – BLEEDING ME DRY
Line-Up:
Robb Flynn: Vocals/Guitars
Jared MacEachern: Bass/Vocals
Reece Scruggs: Guitar
Matt Alston: Drums
Comments:
UNATØNED is at once powerful, melodic, and full of variety. Machine Head has become a major force in the global metal scene and continues to affirm its status as an essential band in the genre.
Contact:
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Selected Discography:
Burn My Eyes – 1994
The More Things Change… – 1997
The Burning Red – 1999
Supercharger – 2001
Through the Ashes of Empires – 2003
The Blackening – 2007
Unto the Locust – 2011
Bloodstone & Diamonds – 2014
Catharsis – 2018
Of Kingdom and Crown – 2022
Unatoned – 2025
Photo Credit: Travis Shinn