The
Grinning Sadist Presents . . .
The
Burning Red
Roadrunner
(1999)
Grade
Review forthcoming.
The
More Things Change
Roadrunner
(1997)
Grade:
B-
You and I have a unique
relationship. You are a discerning listener and purchaser of metal
recordings who cares enough about your dwindling funds to actually research
your buying options by relying on the opinions of armchair critics such
as yours truly, while I, on the other hand, am the aforementioned armchair
critic whose site you have chosen to patronize. In doing so, it is
safe to assume that you, as readers, expect two things out of our relationship.
First, you expect me to make it clear what I feel about an album
being reviewed. No problem - look at the score and grade above the
icon nestled just atop this paragraph. Second, you probably desire
to know why I've rated it as I have, a duty I usually have not the
least bit of a problem fulfilling. In this case, however, I am having
a problem.
With The More
Things Change, I feel comfortable in my appraisal that Machine Head
has succumbed to the dreaded yet oh so common sophomore slump, despite
the fact that the CD churns out more than its fair share of riffs razor
sharp enough to slit wrists and those mechanistic, head jarring rhythm
shifts complimented by the rough edged vocal intensity of Rob Flynn that
we've come to expect from the band - all qualities that earned Burn
My Eyes its rightful status as a modern metal masterpiece. But
it is at this point that my critical discernment breaks down. Yes,
something is noticeably s.n.a.f.u. in the Machine Head camp, but to be
quite honest, I'm at a loss as to what it is. All I know is that
I've listened to my head, my heart, and my gut, and they all have red flags
flying.
Perhaps the title
is indicative of something. After all, the old adage does state that
"the more things change . . . the more they stay the same." Maybe
there is something to this, since despite all of the well publicized failings
in interpersonal relationships among band members - drummer Chris Kontos
evacuated his position after the release of the debut while guitarist Logan
Mader hit the road after this release - there is little deviation from
the successful formula of the debut. But Burn My Eyes this
is not.
I am not insinuating
that this album has little to offer - far from it. The songs are
strong and are unquestionably Machine Head. Openers "Ten Ton Hammer"
and "Take My Scars" - its opening riff now even more popular since Slayer
decided to recycle it for the intro of "Bitter Peace," from Diabolus
in Musica (1998) - are strong enough to stand firmly beside some of
the band's most endearing tunes. But I can't help but believe that
perhaps the band wore itself a tad thin, trying desperately to clone the
unique chemistry of Burn. Unfortunately, there remains that
undefinable quality to the recording that makes it feel too contrived,
forced. Whether that comes with the internal woes of the band, too
great an emphasis on rehashing a past success, or a bit of both, I can't
quite say.
Most bands would
kill for an album with the aggression and creative energy of The More
Things Change. But little exists that has the same sawed-off-at-the-knees
effect as shattered and failed expectations. After all, we expect
more from Machine Head, especially after the mindblowing debut. And
for this reason, perhaps the band was destined to "fail" - not that I'd
dub this album a failure - on this outing.
Burn
My Eyes
Roadrunner
(1994)
Grade:
A
Review forthcoming.
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