New York City’s Uniform’s new album American Standard (Dias Records ) finds vocalist Michael Bearden in a soul-baring exploration of his struggles with bulimia. The album serves as Bearden’s catharsis. The strangled snarl of his yelled vocals paints an accurate picture of the self-loathing that comes with this neurosis. This captures a raw emotional tension that lurks under the mood of the songs. This is delivered through their ability as songwriters, which is a somewhat different story. The album begins with a sprawling opening track. For twenty-one minutes you are hit with a pounding drone, at times this grooves at it drones. This is the first of the sonic dichotomies this album is full of, so if you do not appreciate clashing concepts, it might not be for you.
Tag Archives: Catharsis
ALBUM REVIEW: Machine Head – ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN
I remember one-time reading Revolver magazine’s review for Through the Ashes of Empires and while it was a very positive piece the writer felt that despite being a great step forward it may have been too little, too late for Machine Head. Hard to believe now, but in those days some perceived Machine Head as being dead in the water following the more mainstream stylings of The Burning Red and the ill-timed Supercharger.
ALBUM REVIEW: GGGOLDDD – This Shame Should Not Be Mine
GGGOLDDD, based in the Netherlands, have for the past decade been releasing material that defies genre conventions and blurs the boundaries between all manner of musical styles, from Metal, to post-Punk, to Pop, to Trip-Hop. Their fifth full-length release, This Shame Should Not Be Mine (Artoffact Records) is based around deeply personal themes to vocalist Milena Eva, who uses this record, conceived during the 2020 lockdown, to address traumatic events including sexual assault.
ALBUM REVIEW: Sylosis – Cycle of Suffering
So, Cycle of Suffering (Nuclear Blast) is Sylosis‘ post-hiatus album? Considering how tight the musicianship is and the sense of urgency you could’ve told me that this was released six months after Dormant Heart, and I would’ve bought the lie hook, line, and sinker. For a band that just reformed last year and have worked their way through various personnel changes, this is some remarkable shit. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Suicide Silence – Become the Hunter
Ah, the long-vaunted return to Deathcore form for Suicide Silence. Or is it? I’m sure the cynics and naysayers have already written off Become the Hunter (Nuclear Blast) as a simple effort to save face after the experimental and pseudo-Nu-metal stylings of 2017’s Suicide Silence. But let’s really get down to brass tacks here: Suicide Silence isn’t the first or last band to hit the soft reboot button on their careers. Continue reading
Robb Flynn Has Written Seven New Machine Head Songs, Including One with Logan Mader
In a new social media post listing off 2019’s “little accomplishments” for 2019 in a year-end social media post, Robb Flynn revealed that he has seven new songs written for a future series of standalone singles by Machine Head. In addition in a recent episode of Flynn’s “No Fuckign Regrets Podcast with Robb Flynn,” he revealed one of the new songs was written with Logan Mader, the first by the two since the sessions for The More Things Change (Roadrunner) in 1996. Mader and Flynn have reunited with Chris Kontos for the Burn My Eyes 25 World Tour. Flynn has also recorded a solo album of covers that will release under the moniker of Robb Flynn & Friends. Machine Head’s recent single ‘Do Or Die’ was a controversial diss track that has been interpreted as a dig at detractors from the bands’ last album Catharsis (Nuclear Blast). Continue reading
Robb Flynn Says Reunion Tour Was Logan Mader’s Idea, Discusses New Machine Head Music in a New Interview
In a new interview out in Metal Hammer this Thursday, 5/23, Robb Flynn of Machine Head discusses new details about the forthcoming “Burn My Eyes 25” Tour featuring original members Logan Mader and Chris Kontos. In an excerpt of the wide-ranging interview that was released by Machine Head, Flynn actually gave credit to a text message from Mader, that was the impetus for reuniting this lineup up. Flynn also chatted about a brand new Machine Head track “Do or Die”, calling it “vicious” and a direct response to being “America’s punching bag” on the internet. Robb also claims to be “proud as fuck” of 2018’s Catharsis (Nuclear Blast). Read the excerpts below. Continue reading
Machine Head Live At The Forge, Joliet, IL
Machine Head Shares Lyric Video For “Triple Beam”
Machine Head has shared a video fro there true to life song about the streets, “Triple Beam”, from their current release Catharsis (Nuclear Blast). You can watch the video below. The bard is currently on the second leg of their North American, and these dates will mark the final shows of longtime members Dave McClain (drums) and Phil Demmel (guitars), and will include 6 rescheduled dates from the first leg were vocalist Robb Flynn contracted a severe viral bronchitis lung infection that lasted for 7 weeks.Continue reading
Machine Head Clarifies Lineup Changes, Not Breaking Up
In a message to their social networks, as well as an email message to their fans, Machine Head has clarified their earlier announcement about their future. Along with the previous message that Phil Demmel and Dave Mcclain are departing the band after long tenures, the band is officially continuing on with founder Robb Flynn and Jared MacEachern and eventually, new members. The upcoming “Farewell tour” is more of a farewell of the current lineup.