Machine Head will embark on an intimate venue tour through small-town America as part of their Electric Happy Hour (Live). The band just released their new album “ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN.” Read our review here. Dates include some tour favorites that have had over the years including oft-missed places such as Minot, North Dakota, Springfield, Missouri, Huntington, West Virginia and Charleston, South Carolina.
Catton Park, United kingdom, 12 Aug 2022, Behemoth performing on the Ronnie James Dio Stage at Bloodstock Open Air Festival Credit: Rich Price/Ghost Cult Magazine
Main Stage and Sophie Lancaster Stage
THURSDAY
If there are two things we love doing in the UK, it’s complaining about the weather and queuing for things. Well, this year at Bloodstock Open Air, both are freely available and at no extra charge. Not a moment goes by without a comment on the sweltering heat or about having to wait to cross the road to the festival ground. Yes, not content with spending two hours in the main queue, campers have now invented a brand new line to join before even getting that far. For the first time ever, a line has formed for people pulling trolleys and sack carts. Almost a quarter of a mile of people waiting in a surprisingly orderly queue before joining an even bigger queue. England, never change.
With the heat already playing its part, I finally arrive at the Sophie Lancaster Stage in time to catch Italian nutters Nanowar of Steel who send the audience into hysterics with daft costumes and a “Wall of Love” (a traditional wall of death that climaxes with people hugging each other to George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’). Preceding the infuriatingly catchy ‘Norwegian Reggaeton’ with Burzum‘s outdoor recipe for roasted salmon (“you place the freshly caught salmon on a rock and burn down the church next to it”) the band then take the opportunity to use the mighty ‘Valhalleluja’ to build an Ikea coffee table, holding it aloft for the elated crowd. Accompanied by an actual goblin for the duration of their set, US act Nekrogoblikon certainly put on an enjoyable show but find it tough following such a display of irreverent insanity.
Machine Head has will release the 10th album of their career this week – Of Kingdom and Crown (Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings). Read full our review here and watch out the short video review here! The album can be pre-ordered below. The band has teased a new music video for the track “NØ GØDS NØ MASTERS” – due out with the album release.
Check out our review of the new album from Machine Head – “Of Kingdom and Crown!” Out now from Nuclear Blast Records/Imperium Recordings!
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.
Machine Head easily pulled off the surprise performance of Bloodstock Open Air last weekend as they were the secret band added to the bill! They performed for the first time in two-and-a-half years as a three-piece (minus lead guitarist Vogg Kieltyka), played hits, deep cuts and brand new songs. It was also Machine Head’s first festival appearance in a decade. The band has now shared some footage of their entire fest experience with their fans. The band releases their 10th album Of Kingdom and Crown on August 26th, 2022 via Nuclear Blast, and kicks off a co-headline tour of Europe with Amon Amarth on September 8th. Continue reading
In a message to fans via his blog, Robb Flynn of Machine Head reminisced about their very first Machine Head show, 30 years ago today. The band played a house party and was eventually visited by Oakland Police. Machine Head’s new album 0F KINGD0M AND CR0WN releases on August 26th, 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records. Read Robb’s blog below.
Okay, so how do I go about this? Well, here’s the dive into the iciest part of the pool. Arch Enemy has been tiptoeing for quite some time now. Yeah, War Eternal, Will to Power and their latest effort Deceivers (Century Media) are all above the standard metal release, but with all due respect, this lineup of power players should be standing head and shoulders above the competition. I’m thinking what Metallica was compared to the average Thrash Metal act back in 1988. Continue reading
Amon Amarth has shared a new single and video – “Find A Way or Make One!” The track comes from their new album, The Great Heathen Army, out now via Metal Blade Records. Read our review here. The band is teaming up with Machine Head on an epic co-Headline tour all over Europe and the UK. Watch the video now!