Kicking off 2024 with bang, we headed out to the first show of the year at legendary The Warfield! Hometown heroes Machine Head have not played the city in a few years, and joining them on this epic tour was Fear Factory who missed last year’s show in the city with Static-X. Joining them on this joint are current buzz band Orbit Culture who just got signed to Century Media Records, and Gates To Hell from Louisville opening This is a very strong bill top to bottom especially with two of the most dominant and enduring names in Metal from the nineties still at the top!
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Gates to Hell was already on stage when I entered the venue, and you could hear the rumble of sound in the lobby grow louder every second. The band was just slaying it and they seemed to have won over some new fans with their short, brutal set. They just signed to Nuclear Blast Records, dropped a new single, and are poised for big things.
Orbit Culture had the most people curious on this night and people were snapping up their merch left and right, including signed posters. Although they have over 10 years in the scene, the band has grown their profile of late. They gave off definite early Meshuggah vibes at their hardest, and definitely have the catchy Melo-Deth-style In Flames/Arch Enemy/Opeth flair for the big sweeping choruses that fans seem to love! All the opening bands had the benefit of the full sound and production the entire night, though I prefer a better live mix personally. They played mostly songs off of their last full-length album and one from their recent EP drop. Definitely a band to watch closely in 2024.
Next came Fear Factory and the first time i have ever seen them live with new singer Milo Silvestro! The band was on fire right from the get go. After the Terminator inspired opening they often use, the band jammed out to their initial big hit – Demaufacture’s (Roadrunner Records) huge title track! People moshed hard straight away and the floor was just chaos! Milo sounded incredible and great at both the melodic and brutal vocals. I know a lot of fans are wondering if he is up to the task and he answered with a resounding yes. The band was tight as expected, and it was great to see Dino Cazares and Tony Campos running back and forth and rocking out! The entire band seems energized, include drummer Pete Weber (ex-Havok) who was on point! The setlist was also deep, playing hits and deep cuts from across the bands history! Highlights included “Slave Labor” – “Disruptor” – “Edgecrusher” and the early classic “Martyr!”
Fear Factory setlist via Setlist.fm:
Demanufacture
Slave Labor
Dielectric
Powershifter
Disruptor
Fuel Injected Suicide Machine
Edgecrusher
Linchpin
Martyr
Machine Head time! We got the full scope of the wide open stage being prepped and an enormous video screen! When the lights went down, there was a giant blood splattered image that just read “MACHINE FUCKING HEAD!” People were hype and moshing before the first note! Coming out to the strains of Ozzy Osbounre’s “Diary of A Madman” on tape, it set the tone for the night with much slamming, headbanging, screaming, hand clapping, and general bedlam in the Warfield. I was unsure if this was the first show of the year for everyone, but many seemed extra drunk and there was definitely some assholery going on in the crowd. Some folx can’t have a good time without being a dick.
The band opened with their track “Imperium” still sounding great 21 years after its release! The band is one of the very best there is live! It was a series of bangers right at the top with fan favorite “Ten Ton Hammer” and the newer “CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE” from the 2022 Ghost Cult Album of The Year – ØF KINGDOM AND CROWN (Imperium Recordings/ Nuclear Blast). It was great to hear some new songs in the set, along with classics.
The band crushed it, especially on vocals and guitars/ From all of the “Electric Happy Hour” livestreams and extensive growth together, Robb Flynn and Jared MacEachern are phenomenal compliments to each other vocally. Flynn and Reece Scruggs (Havok) just vibe together so well!
For the first time in memory, the band had an enormous video screen behind them that alternated between album themes for each song played. The rest of the video content seemed AI generated visuals that were hit and miss for me. There some cool effects with fire and other elements, and I appreciate them kicking the production value up a notch overall. The lighting was fantastic all night.
Every album in the bands’ history was represented, except Supercharger and the controversial Catharsis. The biggest reaction of the night was for tracks like “aesthetics of Hate” dedicated to Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, “Slaughter The Martyr,” “From This Day” and of course “Davidian,” which featured OG MH drummer Chris Kontos (Forbidden, The Boneless Ones)! Closing with “Halo” Machine Head kicked off this new chapter in their live performances with a flourish!
Do not miss this tour if it’s coming to your town!
Machine Head setlist via Setlist.fm
Imperium
Ten Ton Hammer
CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE
Aesthetics of Hate
Old
Locust
Take My Scars
NØ GØDS, NØ MASTERS
Is There Anybody Out There?
SLAUGHTER THE MARTYR (intro was skipped)
Darkness Within
Now We Die
From This Day
Davidian (with Chris Kontos on drums)
Halo
Buy Machine Head music and merch here:
https://amzn.to/3vLKMaF
Buy Fear Factory music and merch here:
https://amzn.to/426g9sp