Slipknot -- 'Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)' [review]

Slipknot
"Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)"
Roadrunner Records


Boasting nine members in its ranks and three full-length albums under its belt, after a couple of years of inactivity Slipknot seem posed to retake the throne atop the heavy metal heap.

Exploding into the national consciousness in 1999 with a well-embraced self-titled debut on Roadrunner Records, Slipknot -- vocalist Corey Taylor, guitarists Mick Thompson and James Root, drummer Joey Jordison, bassist Paul Gray, percussionists Shawn Crahan and Chris Fehn along with Sid Wilson on turntables and sampler Craig Jones -- established itself as a hard-hitting, anger-seething musical monstrosity with a thick, multi-layered sound courtesy of a nine-piece roster of talent.

The band already had a self-released album, "Mate, Feed, Kill, Repeat" under its belt. After stints on various national tours including multiple Ozzfests, along with the release of 2001's "Iowa," Slipknot established itself as a metal monolith to be reckoned with.

The metal foundation laid by "Slipknot" was torn down and expanded upon with "Iowa" which followed up the template with a hefty injection of death/thrash metal influences. But after a lengthy world tour in support of that album, the band members split apart to focus on various side projects (most notably Taylor and Root's venture with Stone Sour and Jordison's experiences as guitarist for The Murderdolls).

Despite the various members' distinct side projects, they pledged to regroup for one final album (though talk about this being the final release of Slipknot has since subsided).

Now, three years since a release, Slipknot has finally re-emerged with "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)," a change of direction or sorts for a band that, for the most part, is known exclusively for its metal styling.

First things first, there are a few fundamental changes that the band has incorporated.

Longtime producer Ross Robinson is gone; in his place is Rick Rubin. How big of a problem is this? Robinson seemed to have a firm grasp at fleshing out the three-piece percussion on "Slipknot" and "Iowa," but that sound feels more subtle this time around. Attention seems to fall more on the guitars here. However, musically, the band does sound tighter and more focused on this outing. Taylor's vocals sound as intense as ever. The acoustic guitars everyone was buzzing about prior to the release sound a little less out of place than they may have under the direction from a lesser producer.

Thematically, the band has again embraced new masks (as they have for each album). The familiar layout of album tracks has been abandoned -- the instrumental opener and lengthy, ambient closing track that bookend the first two Roadrunner releases are gone. (The lengthy closer was even more ingrained in the band's lore as this was how the group closed out "Mate, Kill..." as well.)

Clocking in at just over an hour, "Vol. 3" offers up a hodgepodge of music, with portions that seem all the more extreme when juxtaposed against one another -- acoustic guitar vs. drawn-out, screaming solos; hard-hitting drums or just a simple backbeat; vocals that range from screams and growls to melodic, heart-felt singing.

Kicking off the new album is "Prelude 3.0," a song which, at first, appears to be the usual instrumental/sample-laden opener, but what soon evolves into a full-blown song as Taylor sings over otherworldly samples and the drums and guitars kick in as he sings "Now it's over." Jordison's drumming sounds better than ever during the simple fills as Taylor progressively begins to scream harder and harder.

While "Prelude 3.0" could stand on its own as a solid track, it still feels like simple filler, with "The Blister Exists" coming off more as the album's first true, meaty song. "Blister" opens with the familiar heavy guitar riffs and full trio of percussion while Wilson scratches away on the turntables. Taylor tears through the verses before the pogo-inducing chug of the bridge ("Can you feel this!?"). Mid-way through, the song turns into a marching anthem of sorts as Jordison lays down a repetitive beat with the guitars joining in and Taylor and company chanting along.

"Duality," the album's first single, is the first real notice that the band is going for something different here. The vocals are reminiscent of the Butthole Surfers' 1996 offering "Pepper," sounding slightly distorted as though coming through a speaker presented so fast the words almost tumble over one another. Crahan's accentuation of the drumming is great during the chorus. "Duality" is obviously this release's "Left Behind" (off "Iowa"), a straight-forward hard-hitting song that showcases the band's many staples: the forced vocals, hefty guitar and bass, and triple-threat of percussion.

"Circle" is the first glaring example that the band is incorporating some new ideas into its tried and true method. The song opens with an acoustic guitar over a looped sample while Taylor gently sings with string-accompaniment following along in the background. But, as mellow as the song sounds, there's hints of extremity boiling just under the surface: intense guitar feedback following the chorus and the haunting violins in the background. The sample work is similar to Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" at times, which is the air surrounding the song until it devolves into a sample-heavy dirge towards its conclusion.

The biggest part of "Vol. 3" needed to be addressed is the two-piece "Vermilion" tracks. "Vermilion," the album's eighth track, unfolds like a newer, less-intense "Purity" (available on initial pressings of "Slipknot"), with seductive, low-key vocals spilling through verse after verse lulling the listener into a sense of forced-intimacy, making the track seem all the more intense. By the time the chorus of "I won't let this build up inside of me" breaks the song's tone, the melodic guitar and vocals hardly seem out of place. And Thompson and Root offer some amazing guitar work during the song's bridges. "Vermilion Pt. 2" (track 11), is the most shocking of "Vol. 3's" offerings: just Taylor's heartfelt vocals (with backup accompaniment by other members), acoustic guitars, violin (?!), piano and other ethereal sonics. The one and only word to describe the song was one I never thought could sum up a Slipknot track: beautiful.

Not one to let the listener become complacent however, the band quickly snaps the mood with "Vermilion Pt. 2's" follow-up, "The Nameless," which opens with fast-paced drumming and bass trade offs and Taylor trading vocals with himself, alternating between a growl and scream. But the chorus comes out of left-field with Taylor crooning "I've never wanted anybody more, than I've wanted you..."

The band hasn't sounded tighter and it shows on tracks like "Welcome" and "Before I Forget." Slipknot has grown and matured since its last release, and it shows through the willingness to incorporate nuances like acoustic guitars and string arrangements while still keeping the blistering guitar solos and double-bass drumming.

"Vol. 3" is a completely solid release end-to-end and would be a welcome addition to any fans' collection.

All That Remains -- 'This Darkened Heart' [review]

All That Remains
\"This Darkened Heart\"
Prosthetic Records


Massachusetts-based All That Remains has been carving out a niche for itself in the hardcore scene since 1998. The band's latest effort, "This Darkened Heart," (Prosthetic Records) is certain to keep fans of the bands happy while winning over more listeners in the process. Things can only get better for this band that initially started off as a side project.

Vocalist Philip Labonte formed All That Remains while still singing in the band Shadows Fall. After leaving Shadows Falls, Labonte made All That Remains his main focus. Endless touring and writing finally paid off when the band scored a record contract and released its first album, "Behind Silence and Solitude," in 2002. Fans in the metal and hardcore community welcomed the new release and the band enjoyed three tours in support of the album, though the band's original guitarist and bassist left during this time. But Labonte and the rest of the band soldiered on, found new members and prepared tracks for what would become "This Darkened Heart."

Labonte is an established vocalist and his energy translates well as he wavers from hardcore screaming to angry rumbling throughout the new album. Rounding out the band are guitarists Oli Herbert and Mike Martin, drummer Mike Bartlett and bassist Matthew Deis.

Herbert's and Martin's guitar work is the highlight of "Darkened Heart," as the duo seamlessly trade riffs and solos from track to track. Deis' bass work is subtle at times, but is almost nonchalantly driving, so much so you would really miss it on tracks like "I Die in Degrees" and "This Darkened Heart," while Bartlett's drumming adds a nice backbeat to the proceedings.

The beauty of All That Remains is that the band isn't pigeon-holed by genre barriers. The album kicks off with acoustic guitars before exploding with rage to open "And Death in My Arms"; the driving force of the closing guitar, bass and drums gives way to hauntingly melodic guitar at the end of "I Die in Degrees"; the instrumental "Regret Not" features a lengthy acoustic opening before steamrolling drums and bass kick in and the guitar riffs become more frenzied, but the track comes full-circle in the end closing out with the acoustic guitars again. And on tracks like "Focus Shall Not Fail," Labonte's vocals range from guttural growling to clear harmony.

The band is able to shift gears without losing its edge. As Labonte points out in the band's press material, "We try to cover lots of ground, but do stuff that is still true to ourselves: we do solos because we like them; we do breakdowns because we like them; we have clean singing because we like it."

Two tracks really shine on "Darkened Heart": "The Deepest Gray" and "Passion." Both feature the band sounding tighter than ever, driving guitars and a catchy backbeat held together by Labonte's straightforward vocals, a cross between Pantera, Vision of Disorder and In Flames.

In Flames -- 'Soundtrack to Your Escape' [review]

In Flames
"Soundtrack to Your Escape"
Nuclear Blast Records


It feels like Sweden's In Flames is one of the metal scene's best-kept secrets. The band cranks out album after album of solid material that could appeal to a broad range of listeners, yet they seem to have nothing more than a cult status in the U.S.

The band has been cranking out albums since 1994, but it was the release of 2000's "Clayman" that seemed to establish In Flames in the U.S. (the band had been a big hit in Europe and Japan for longer).

While the band has featured a revolving door of members over the years, the band's current lineup -- guitarists Bjorn Gelotte and Jesper Stromblad, bassist Peter Iwers, drummer Daniel Svensson and vocalist Anders Friden -- have crafted a solid, if not entirely inspired, follow-up to 2002's "Reroute to Remain."

"Escape" opens up with the hard-hitting "F(r)iend," with Iwers and Svensson laying down a thick beat that the guitarists paint over with melodic riffing. "F(r)iend" is a little more abrasive than most of the album's other tracks, with Friden growling and snarling through the verses.

Overall, "Soundtrack" has an almost ethereal feel to it, showcased in tracks like "The Quiet Place," which opens with synth-tinged guitar riffing, or "Evil in the Closet," one of the disc's more intriguing tracks (a ballad at that!). Friden creates an interesting atmosphere with his voice and the band's musical arrangements sound interesting and layered.

Really, it's the instrumentation that makes In Flames stand out in this day and age. Even tight three or four minute tracks sound epic in nature, due in part to the layered sound the band creates. That, included with the vocal arrangements, gives the band a fuller sound than most other metal bands in the scene today.

That said, "Escape" isn't necessarily a bad album. It stands good on it's own. Taken as a piece of the band's catalogue, "Escape" just seems a rehash of "Reroute" without the outstanding tracks like "Trigger" or "Reroute to Remain." Most of the band's fans are turned off with this, in addition to the fact that In Flames essentially started out as a death metal band and have matured over time adding more melody and keyboards.

"Soundtrack to Your Escape" is a strong release that has suffered the fate of those waiting for it having higher hopes. It's a good album to introduce a new fan to the band, but not the best it has to offer. The disc's stronger tracks come towards the end of the release, so if you check "Escape" out, make sure to give the later tracks a chance to sink in.

Various Artists -- 'Bring You to Your Knees' - hardcore tribute to Guns N' Roses [review]

Various Artists
"Bring You To Your Knees"
Law Of Inertia Records


Tribute albums are a tricky business. There are those that love them. There are those that hate them. But love them or hate them, tribute albums just don't seem to go away.

It's been almost 13 years since Gun N' Roses released a full-length studio album. Apart from a new GnR song showing up on a soundtrack here and there -- and it's a big here and there: a cover on 1994's "Interview with a Vampire" and a new track on 1999's "End of Days" -- the last impression the band left on the music scene was 1993's cover album, "The Spaghetti Incident?"

Well, it's now 2004 and, in turn, members of the hardcore and indie music scene have come together to cover Guns N' Roses. Even with only three full-length releases under its belt, GnR is a band whose influence can still be felt to this day, and "Bring You To Your Knees" aims to prove that.

Opening the CD much like GnR did back in 1987 with the familiar riffs of "Welcome to the Jungle" are underground legends Zombie Apocalypse. While initially staying true to the original (albeit slightly faster), ZA soon turn this rock classic into a full-out hardcore anthem while adding its own little nuances ("You know where you are? You're in the graveyard!")

Haste follow-up with an down-tuned, moody take on "You're Crazy." It's not a particularly inspired cover, but the band gives its own take on the song and, while essentially a straight up metal rendition, the bluesy-backbeat of the song really shines through the sludge (more so than I noticed on the original).

Massachusetts metal-band Unearth offer up "It's So Easy," complete with double-bass drumming throughout the entire track. The production on this track is what hurts it however, as the vocals are slightly muffled and blown out. And the band offers a little tongue-in-cheek nod to GnR frontman during the song's famous vocal bridge: "I see you standing there. You think you're so cool. Hey Axl! F**k off." But what Unearth lacks in the vocal department, the band makes up for it with interesting guitar breaks and solid drumming.

There's a handful of straightforward covers featured here:

-- Break The Silence's version of "Nighttrain" differs little from the original, apart from the more drawn out, snotty vocals. The band's guitarist does a great job mimicking the Slash outro guitar work too.

-- Death by Stereo's take on "Anything Goes" also differs little from the original, although the band's rendition of the song's chorus seems more fun than its predecessor: the lead singer grunting "my" and "your" while the band takes the rest of the line.

-- Eighteen Visions do justice to "Paradise City" keeping it simple. It seems like some of the lyrics may be slightly altered but this is another straight up cover until the song's close where everything gets slowed down and muddied up.

-- One of the most surprising takes on the disc is Every Time I Die's cover of "I Used to Love Her" that is remarkably close to the original. The production sounds a little more full than that of the original, but it was weird to hear ETID's frontman doing straight forward vocals.

-- God Fobid's "Out Ta Get Me" is also faithful to the original. The band's frontman growls a little more than usual through the song, but the band follows along nice and tight.

While the opening piano to Most Precious Blood's version of "Sweet Child O' Mine" sounds pretty artificial off the keyboard, the band's frontman more than makes up for the artificiality in his strained vocal delivery while the guitars chug along in the background. In fact, the band replaces almost all the guitar soloing throughout the track by the piano although, it should be noted, the lead guitarist does a fabulous job on the guitar solo preceding the "where do we go" bridge.

The Dillinger Escape Plan try to infuse some salsa into the opening of "My Michelle" before exploding into a punk-tinged out of control cover that seems impossible to sing along to. This is probably one of the album's lowest points, but still not terrible to listen to.

The album's other low point is the simple re-do of "14 Years" by Vaux. The band does a competent cover, but the song was never that interesting to begin with, and without any surprises it just doesn't stand up next to the other songs on here.

Bleeding Through tackle "Rocket Queen" turning the song into a sludgy hardcore track. As most of the other tracks on here, the vocals are more guttural while the music stays true to the original. The mid-point of the song that was originally filled with a drum solo (where the track turns from a rock anthem into a ballad) is done on keyboard (set to saxophone) here, and the band has a little fun singing answers during the song's closing moments: "If you need a shoulder (I need a shoulder), or if you need a friend (I need a friend), I be here standing until the bitter end (THAT sounds great)." Trust me, it's funny stuff.

The Beautiful Mistake offer up the album's second best track, "Estranged." Staying relatively close to the source material, the band offers up a nice compressed version of the song, although The Beautiful Mistake's vocalist has sounded better (he almost sounds whiney here). The piano solo is left intact and there's a great drum fill prior to "I knew the storm was getting closer ..." The only problem is the band never quite finishes the song as it sort of drifts off into feedback without the requisite "I never wanted it to die" with the lead singer holding onto the last note.

The disc's absolute highlight is Time In Malta's phenomenal cover of "November Rain." Upon first listen, it's almost impossible to connect the cover to the original in the opening until the vocals kick in. While turning a ballad like "November Rain" into a hardcore track seems like an impossible undertaking, Time in Malta seems to have done so with ease and crafted a song that feels entirely like its own. After the band lays into the "Everybody needs some time, on their own" bridge, the band adds in a break of "Spent such a long time, just trying to kill the pain." After the piano break right where the song begins to flourish for the final minutes (when Slash gets on the piano in the video to do his solo), the frontman growls "been through this such a long time" as the guitars ominously chug away in the background, over and over again with the drums filling in -- and then the band completely stops except for a single note on the guitar as the singer screams "We've been here such a long time, just trying to kill the pain," and then the guitars fill back in with the guitar and the whole effect is sure to give the listener chills of satisfaction as the band "takes it home" repeating "everybody" as the tracks fades away.

Most of the songs on here are pretty strong, and keep this release from sinking from the low points. There wasn't any need for a "14 Years" cover, and The Dillinger Escape Plan just sounded lazy. I have some problems with "Estranged," but that only because it's my favorite GnR track and I knew The Beautiful Mistake could do better with the ending. And the cover of "November Rain" is so good, it's worth tracking this release down just for this song (the rest is just garnish).

Fear Factory -- 'Archtype' [review]

Fear Factory
"Archetype"
Liquid 8 Records


Since its debut album, "Soul of a New Machine," on Roadrunner Records in 1992, Fear Factory has been one of the mainstays in the metal scene, influencing countless bands and fans around the world. With each subsequent release, the band refined and polished its machine-like technology-infused metal; each album built upon the foundation of the last.

In 1995 the band released what some consider is one of the best metal albums of the '90s, "Demanufacture"; the band's most commercially viable release, "Obsolete," saw the light of day in '98. Along the way Fear Factory experimented with remixing to varying degrees of success. (The hard-hitting "Fear is the Mindkiller" EP featuring tracks off the band's debut, and the hit-or-miss "Remanufature" which featured remixes of tracks off "Demanufacture.")

Following the success of "Obsolete," the band struggled to craft a follow-up, due in part to inner band turmoil that wasn't apparent at the time. The band's last "new" album for Roadrunner, 2001's "Digimortal," was a stumble of sorts. While not a bad album by any means, it seemed fans were used to holding the band up to a higher standard. "Digimortal" wasn't as "heavy" as fans were used to, and incorporated more melody and simpler riffs -- while not its best effort, the release turned into a unfortunately overlooked disc.

At the same time, things behind the scenes were reaching a boiling point. Vocalist Burton Bell talked about a hiatus and side-projects, and then up and left the band in 2002, causing the remaining members to disband. Roadrunner released two posthumous albums, "Concrete" (the band's original demo that got it signed) and "Hatefiles" (a collection of remixes, b-sides and unreleased tracks).

And then a few months later the band reconnected, sans original guitarist Dino Cazares. Bass player Christian Olde Wolbers shifted to guitar and Bell once again took up singing duties. The band offered a song for 2003's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" soundtrack, signed with Liquid 8, and released "Archetype" in 2004.

While Wolbers handled bass and guitar duties for a majority of the recording, the band brought in former Strapping Young Lad bassist Byron Stroud into the fold to round out the line up which also includes drummer Raymond Herrera.

The band wastes little time opening up with the hard-hitting "Slave Labor." Herrera's double-bass work is immediately evident, and Wolbers sounds more than comfortable in his new position on the axe. And while "Slave Labor" seems a little like a palate cleanser from the band's previous efforts (the track plays out like a faster-tempoed "Edgecrusher"), the next song, "Cyberwaste," is a full-out assault. Wolbers is absolutely obliterating on the guitar, and the drumming is insane, thick and full. Bell's vocals on here seem more angry than anything off "Digimortal."

The band goes a little more melodic on "Bite the Hand That Bleeds." Bell's vocals are melodic throughout the tracks that harks back to a FF classic like "Resurrection" (off "Obsolete"). But as always, the beauty with FF is that the band is able to offer up something melodic like "Bite ..." and still maintain an edge through the intense-yet-subtle drumming or through maintaining an almost-frantic pace throughout the song, like it's almost about to explode but never quiet does. That sort of tool is especially effective when followed by something like "Undercurrent" that also features melody, but is more of a return to solid metal with thick riffing and explosive drums.

"Default Judgment" is a page right out of "Obsolete." The trademark drum/bass guitar play is in full-effect here, and Bell growls through the verses before unleashing the melodic chorus of "Your final judgment stands. Fate, by your will. I never had a chance, I never will."

The disc's title track is one of the stronger songs on the album and plays out like a mission statement from the band. Sonically, this track is probably the most "mainstream" sounding song on the disc. Immediately opening with a strong double-bass kick and thunderous riffing with Bell's melodic droning in the background, the track feels like something that a band just starting out would try to make in order to "blow up." As Bell kicks off the song singing "You must never forget the essence of your spark," the band sounds tight and the listener can tell this is coming from a group re-invigorated. There's also a little jab at the group's former bandmate during the bridge before the chorus: "The infection has been removed, the soul of this machine has improved." On an album full or great tracks, "Archetype" stands up as the strongest.

The band offers up an interesting little cover of Nirvana's "School" to close the album. It's a jarring way to end the album and may have played better as a hidden track, but is a solid cover nonetheless. It appears that "Ascension" is the disc's "true" closer anyway, a seven-plus minute ethereal trip across an endless musical landscape (think "Obsolete's" closer "Timelessness," only longer and more "out there"). The cover track pays homage to its original, but expands upon the punk-sounding roots, instead flourishing into a full-blown metal anthem.

Fear Factory have never sounded better. While the past few years were filled with their share of problems, Fear Factory seems to have risen to the task, borrowing and building on past efforts to craft a masterful album.

Machine Head -- 'Through the Ashes of Empires' [review]

Machine Head
"Through the Ashes of Empires"
Roadrunner Records


What's a band to do?

You're one of the most beloved metal outfits to emerge from the early '90s. Your debut and its follow-up are considered by fans to be metal masterpieces of sorts. Yet, you experiment with your heavy sound, evolving slightly and adding more melody. Your last studio album is considered a huge letdown to your hardcore fans. Newer fans and critics are lumping you into a dying music trend.

What's a band to do?

Well, if you're Machine Head, you tell the naysayers to go f*ck themselves, delve into you past and embrace what you've become.

Then you turn around and release one of the most intense metal albums you can muster.

And THAT'S what "Through the Ashes of Empires," Machine Head's latest release, is: A brutal assault, drawing comparisons to its earlier work while still thriving on elements that have been added to the band over time (like melodic vocals and even more melodic guitar riffs).

Vocalist and guitarist Robert Flynn, bassist Adam Duce, drummer Dave McClain and new addition to the band, guitarist Phil Demmel, got together and crafted a sonically tight, blistering metal album. And along with battling to put the music together, the band endured an even bigger battle to get the music to the streets. Machine Head had split with its longtime label Roadrunner Records in 2002. "Through the Ashes" was released via Roadrunner last October in territories outside of North America, but without a U.S. deal the disc was only available as an import. Machine Head finally patched things up with Roadrunner in February, and decided to record a new song for the American release (initially the band was to record a new song and a cover, but opted for the solo new piece instead).

The overall sound of the disc is as heavy as the band's debut, bringing the kind of anger and emotion that was missing on later releases. There is some melody that has crept in, with some clean vocals comparable to the band's later work on some songs. The musical production on the disc is fantastic; the mix is guitar-heavy, but the drums and vocals never get lost in the overall sound. In fact, the standout on this release may be the drumming.

The album's opener, "Imperium," is, simply put, vintage Machine Head. Opening with a chunky guitar riffs and blistering drumming, as Flynn screams "Hear me now," you can fell this is like a rebirth for the band that has laid dormant for three years. And, unlike 2001's "Supercharger" (and to a lesser extent, 1999's "The Burning Red"), the band seems to have dug further into its past in an attempt to resurrect the energy off its debut and fan-favorite, "Burn My Eyes" -- "Imperium" has the feel of a track like "Davidian" or "Old" (off "Burn My Eyes"). And the song, as the album as a whole, focuses on the band's trademark sound: Flynn's alternating growling and melodic vocals, thick bass and drum beats and intense guitar licks wavering from industrial droning to solid, metal riffing.

But what an introduction "Imperium" is. The track clocks in at over six minutes in length, filled with crazy chord progressions and break downs and some killer double-bass pedal work in the song's latter half.

The solid drumming flows over into the intro for the disc's next track, "Bite the Bullet," and it's clear the band is on a mission to craft a hard-hitting metal album.

"Through the Ashes" definitely has its stand out tracks. "Left Unfinished" is an explicit laden diatribe against bad parenting (with maybe an undercurrent towards the music scene in general?). Featuring great double-bass again, the fast-paced song is like a sonic weedwacker tearing through your head on the verses, before it becomes more deliberate at the chorus.

"Days Turn Blue to Gray" is this album's best track, bar none. The song opens like a blues-tinged hard-rock track before flourishing with metal riffs and loud drums. But right before Flynn starts the opening verse, the music stops for a beat as Flynn exclaims "Oh!" and the song seems to do a 180 as he melodically belts out the lyrics almost like a lullaby and the band follows along, hard and heavy. Lyrically the song once again deals with parenting and is split in two by a melodic bridge mid-way through the song that slowly becomes more frenzied before flourishing into a start-stop bridge with Flynn almost chanting "Father, Mother, destroyer, destroy her" over an amazing solo by Demmel.

Then you have a song like "Elegy," that has an old-school Corrosion of Conformity feel to it at the onset, but once Flynn starts singing the verses and it takes on an ethereal quality with his bluesy, Black Sabbath-like singing before he growls through the chorus. "Elegy" is also a great song showcasing just how tight the four members sound together. The drums and bass play around each other and the guitar riffs compliment the vocals.

The disc's new track, "Seasons Wither," is also a welcome addition. Unfolding like a thrash song, the chorus slows down to showcase the band's sludgy sound. The band also plays with the tracks production fading in and out at times (in an non-jarring fashion). You can feel the band wanted to craft a mosh pit anthem with this, and can visualize the crowd going crazy during the bridge, especially with the guitar solos and drumming. There's also a nod to the newer bands in the genre as the song sounds reminiscent of Killswitch Engage towards the end.

On the band's official Web site, McClain says the band's mission when they began writing "Through The Ashes Of Empires" was clear: "To write an album that would really satisfy us musically. Longer songs, off-time parts, leads. We didn't worry whether this song or that song could be played on the radio or not. ... We feel that if 'Through The Ashes Of Empires' was our first album, it would do the same things that 'Burn My Eyes' did, in terms of establishing Machine Head as one of the best metal bands out there."

And upon listening to "Through the Ashes," you can't help but agree with that sentiment. From end to end, there not a single low point or skippable moment, which is quite a feat. After a lengthy wait and heaps of accolades, Machine Head's latest turned into one of the best surprises of the year. Not a let down at all.