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MACHINE HEAD’S “LOCUST” HAS ARRIVED

 Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 at 11:00am by

So, hey, remember last week when Machine Head announced that they were releasing an advance mix of a new song, “Locust,” today? Well, guess what? It’s today, so the song is out! Funny how time works that way. You can stream the track below.

I’ll be curious to see how the metal community reacts to the tune. Machine Head are coming off of two AWESOME records (Through the Ashes of Empires and The Blackening, duh), and, clearly, they’d like to pull off a hat trick of excellence. And even though it’s a not-final-mix of one single song, “Locust” will go a long way towards building hype that, OMG, they’ve pulled it off!, or, FML, they have not.

Personally, I was actually not that into the song the first time I heard it… but now I’ve listened to it five or six times, and it’s grown on me with each successive spin. Is it up to snuff with the material from The Blackening, an album I thought was pretty much a goddamned masterpiece? I don’t quite think so… but I’m also not sure right now if I’m reacting to the song, or my incredibly high expectations for the new MH offering. I’ll have to listen a bunch more (and, of course, hear the song in the context of the entire album) before really being able to make up my mind. But I will say that even if it’s not quite as good as that Blackening material, it’s still really rockin’, and certainly in no way qualifies as a letdown.

You can download “Locust” here for all of ninety-nine cents. Machine Head will be part of this year’s Mayhem Fest, along with Megadeth, In Flames, Trivium, Unearth, Suicide Silence, All Shall Perish, Kingdom of Sorrow, and Red Fang. You can get dates here.

-AR

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  • jasonrph

    Do you think they wish they could be as good as Devin Townsend?

    • some douche

      your kidding right

    • http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com Jeff B

      The Blackening > Deconstruction

    • Dissolution

      Too bad they’re better! Devin’s talented for sure but Machine Head are on another level entirely.

    • Big

      Some will definitely disagree but I’ll go on anyway…

      Devin Townsend = overrated.

      Please admit it.

    • Adam

      the Devin Townsend love-fest on this site the last few months has gotten out of hand

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    • squealie

      That’s all fine, but what did you think of the Machine Head song?

      • jason

        wait wait…so you’re telling me that I can listen to the new MH song aannddd meet singles?…well ok then

        • LoGs the Shit

          well, now im more excited for this album!

    • Military Rod

      Agree with the OP, Machine Head songs grow on you over time. This is a really solid song.

      With that being said, I’m not a big fan of their tone. Maybe it’s the constant flange that bothers me.

  • Brian

    In anticipaiton of this album, I feel that they are going to be real hard pressed to actualyl top The Blackening. That said, I will be satisfied with something on par, and if this song is a reflection the album, then they are going to nail it.

  • Wanderer

    The song sounds on par with Slanderous or Wolves from The Blackening to me. It’s not bad but not really awesome either. I’m sure that with the actual finished mix and context of the full album it will work a bit better.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ryan-Sean-Heron/9391234 Ryan Sean Heron

      slanderous and wolves are two of the best metal songs I’ve ever heard in my life.

    • Brian \m/(-_-)\m/

      Slanderous owns

      • CarsVsChildren

        It is impossible to listen to slanderous when driving, and stick to the speed limit, that song slams.

  • Bloodstone

    Completely awesome. Expecting great things about the new album.

  • kingap

    sounds pretty damn good, looking forward to this record even more now!

  • foobear

    Dig.

  • MachinaeSupremacist

    Does that cover remind anyone else of “Resurrection” by Chimaira?

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Thomas-Leo-Braund/707525448 Thomas Leo Braund

      what? no. which bit?

    • Zsa Zsa Gabor’s amputated leg used as a dildo and a bludgeon to beat people to death with

      I think it was done by the same guy actually.

      • http://www.hesperpayne.com WOE

        Im pretty sure its a different guy. The pic in the MH song is by a chap called Phil Straub and it was used as a tutorial in IFX magazine a few years ago.

    • the_dglgmut13

      I was thinking it looked damn familiar but couldn’t quite put my thumb on it. You put your thumb on it for me.

    • http://www.heavymetal.co.nz heavymetalnz

      Yeah immediately thought of Resurrection!

      Go Chimaira!!

  • The Overmatt

    Quality as ever. I like that they slowed things down a bit and got more of a stomp going on. Now we need to hear some of the album’s fast stuff.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Brandon-MXickman/502613553 Brandon MXickman

    cool track! looking forward to more MH /m/
    the blackening was much better than TTAOE [i only like the single off that record]

  • Poserkiller

    I can honestly say I have had in my possesion this bands entire discography and didn’t hear a single thing that stood out from all the other half thrash/groove metal bands out there,very overated.

    • http://www.thefeej.com leroydragon

      fucking oath. this band sucks. first two albums are solid, groovy awesomeness, the rest is utter shit.

  • Dissolution

    It’s fucking amazing. I love it. That chorus is great. The guitar solos rip and there are some great stomper riffs.

    Mix is meh so far but we know its not done. I’m probably way to pumped up for the cd.

  • DarkDragon

    People are expecting Blackening part 2 and that would be a mistake to think that they would able to put out 3 incredible albums in a row especially since they’ve released some clunkers in the past.

  • MrC

    The chorus needs to be redone but the riff is generally pretty good.

  • Ray Peterson212

    I love this song, and am also not expecting The Blackening 2. If this band can even make a record that is 80% what The Blackening is ill be happy. We are all forgetting how spoiled we were with The Blackening.

    • some douche

      for sure, the blackening got me into metal

      • Todd Poe

        Dear God, this is sad.

  • Dissolution

    God damn I love this song. Hearing new Machine Head is like a freakin religious experience for me. It makes my whole fucking body happy.

    I’m that happens to some of you guys for other bands. We’re all music junkies here.

    Machine Head is my drug. Rob’s voice + badass guitars + amazing drums…. yeah.

  • Big

    I tend to agree with Mr. Rosenberg’s comments. Locust has definitely got me pumped up for the upcoming album!

    BTW if you haven’t seen MH live yet… by all means do it!!!

  • meemperor

    Cool song, especially like the way it has been structured. Will be interesting to hear it live me thinks.

  • http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/f60fa9e6421f91d4c1d1d0e1fe20a144?s=80 Goro923

    Did I just hear autotune in the mellow part????

    FUCK.

    Please take that out of the final mix PLEASE.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Nathan-Fitzpatrick/100000875252457 Nathan Fitzpatrick

      naw Rob just actually knows how to use his vocal chords, unlike every pop or R&B “singer” to come out in the last 5 years. It’s def not Autotuned though.

      • http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/f60fa9e6421f91d4c1d1d0e1fe20a144?s=80 Goro923

        You think? I usually have a knack for hearing it…

        • http://www.thefeej.com leroydragon

          autotuned to fuck. corrrect. Rob can’t sing for shit.

  • Johnny

    fucking love it. this album is going to be amazing.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Nathan-Fitzpatrick/100000875252457 Nathan Fitzpatrick

    Pretty good stuff!!! Seems to be lacking a bit of energy in parts but that could be due to the temp mix. Rob’s voice sounds a bit different than most of the past albums not that its bad, just different. Really looking forward to the new album though. Should be pretty killer.

  • Peter Griffin

    Blackening is what it is – a masterpiece. That being said, I find it hard to believe the new album can be as good, let alone top it. But if they can come close, it will still be a solid album indeed.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Cleber-Monteiro/100000392246968 Cleber Monteiro

    Sounds like something they’ve done before.

  • Ben

    Through the Ashes of Empires> The Blackening

    This sounds more in the style of Ashes. I’m happy.

    • ACoffinShip

      I would’ve liked Ashes a lot better if the lyrics weren’t almost consistently clunky, awkward, and frankly a little embarrassing. Musically it was a very solid album though.

      As for the new track, I’m really digging it. It really feels like it’s NOT trying to re-create The Blackening and isn’t dwelling under that album’s shadow. I’m expecting good things.

  • Perpetual Black Screen Name

    I’m not satisfied. It’s not a bad song but it’s a poor song to use for initial representation of the new album. I mean, they didn’t start tearing shit up till the end and then it was over. Please Metal Gods! Let the rest of the album rip.

  • Nick

    I have been a huge machinehead fan since Burn My Eyes, was even lucky enough to see them with Pantera back in the day. I am glad after a few less than great albums they have gotten back into things. This new song is great, can’t wait for the album, makes me feel like its the mid 1990s again.

  • metalhead616

    weird singing voice…. kinda stressed …know better choruses…by them. kinda missing in the face stuff. they should write some new imperium….stuff.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Keith-Brown/537636633 Keith Brown

    I dig it so hard. If I could dig it harder, I’d be burrowing down into the earth with it in order to hibernate

  • EmpireOfDestruction

    Is fucking horrible song.No soul on it,is like they were “Lets do this record so we can pleasure them” It is a shitty song and I wont be buying it.

  • You Don’t Know Me

    It’s a big pile of meh. It’s not horrible but it’s not that good either. It’s mediocre.

    • http://www.thefeej.com FlyzaMC

      CROW!

  • http://garyoliver917@verizon.net gary

    garbage. they will never sound as good as they did on BURN MY EYES or THE MORE THINGS CHANGE. Rob Flynn needs to stop with the stupid melodic crap and play pounding thrash again.

  • A2James

    I dig it! Machine Head is that rare metal band that has never left their core sound, but has grown leaps and bounds since “Burn My Eyes” (which is to this day one of my favorite albums). Except for the questionable nu-metalish shit (Supercharger), MH has been consistent with classic shit

  • Mass Hysteria

    Sounds like we officially have the 3rd instalment in MH’s epic trilogy!

  • twistedfreak

    1st listen: New MH nice.
    2nd listen: This is fucking great.
    Consecutive listens: ALBUM NOW PLEASE MACHINE FUCKING HEAD!

  • Rik

    Hm, not really impressed with this song. The first half is very dull indeed, and doesn’t have the aggression I would expect from Machine Head. The vocals were good though…

  • Ryan

    I think its brilliant. Better than 90% of the metal bands nowadays.

  • Rudiger

    Man I don’t know what I was expecting, buy I’m dissapointed, how many times can they put that same harmonic in a different song, and Rob’s vocals haven’t been this bad since Supercharger (lolz). I will still probably check the record out when it leaks, and for the record these guys rule live.

  • aeae

    That intro sounded worrying like the Unforgiven 3.

  • http://www.thefeej.com FlyzaMC

    No where near the killer rhyming like on this:

    We turn desire to fire electric spark to the wire
    Highered the stakes when we brought this monster
    Life prevail by daring to fail others content just to sail
    Hail the future we bring

    We bring chaos to blocks like riots to watts blow up spots,
    Taking the crown off the top notch
    Create the pace that you all will follow
    Sporadic flow buckles up like a calico
    We D-O smoke sensmilla vodka and C-O-K-E is the real deal
    You flubber, never had to suffer
    Life’s gettin harder and it’s only getting rougher
    Save some for me can’t stop what were going to be

    walk with me and take this seed a fire for you so dare to fail will you
    When my pen hits pad it results in catastrophe
    Words and verbs come to form a disaster
    If you want it, you got it never hit I spot it
    Now come and watch me rise

    All the tools, that blew more money than Latrell
    You tell, I don’t know you think I know you too well you fell
    And stumbled laughin as you tumbled
    I guess you forgot about the power we rock
    Coz “ALL HAIL THE” Machine Head battery
    The good, the bad, the ugly
    Damaging your battery yeah you been fucked stuck in a rut
    Your life has been sucked your tail has been tucked

    Save some for me can’t stop what were going to be
    Just watch as as i demonstrate the reason we dominate

    If we stand alone and believe it all and you tell me it’s all I believe in
    Yes we stand alone and believe it all if you tell me it’s all we believe in
    Because we we’ll chew and spit you out
    And pray upon the weaker
    Take what we want

    Dam sellouts, wheres the fucking jumpsuits and rapping???! Not the Machine Head I know!

    Im not even gonna listen to this garbage because with out Chris and Logan this band is shit, but does Rob at least say CROOOOOWWWWWWWWW twice a song still?

  • http://www.thefeej.com FlyzaMC

    CROWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

  • american hate

    (yaaaaawn)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrew-Sterner/1335958279 Andrew Sterner

    I think the album will be a good metal album…but the Blackening is A+ in my eyes, so I don’t see -how- they could top it. Should be a good album, but I’m not expecting something in the same league. If it is, I’ll be a very happy camper.

    I remember the first time I heard “Halo,” completely blew me away. Same with most of the songs on that album. This song is good, but I’m not blown away. We’ll see when the album comes out though.

  • NickCOB

    I have been listening to this song all day today… god damn it is a headbanger \m/ Really hoping the new album will be a good follow up for The Blackening!

  • Aaron

    Badassss

  • The_I

    I love that they worked in some of their older groove influences into the compositional thrash sound that The Blackening had. Jizzworthy.

    • http://post-zeitgeist.blogspot.com/ 6810

      You said what I did on my blog. But only in two lines.

      Dang

  • bgm666

    i’m just happy to hear new Machine Head kicking ass. solid tune.

  • El_Pulpo

    Majestic and crushing are the two adjectives were the first adjectives I thought of after listening to this. This is Machine Head staying true to what they are and for that, I am grateful. Keep it on, guys.

  • Todd Poe

    This is paint-by-numbers metal – custom built for for excitable 15 year old boys.

    Great for what it is, but not really worthy of serious discussion.

    Grow the fuck up, people.

  • Rick Javic

    Song is good, has some tasty riffs but one can only hope the final mix is better. It’s tempting to say they’ll never top ‘The Blackening’ but then again, we all said that about ‘Burn My Eyes’, as well.

  • Cecilie

    I also didn’t really think much of this the first time I listened to it, but now I love it. Looking forward to their new album.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Noah-Mazzola/583188963 Noah Mazzola

    I just got back from mayhem and they seriously upstaged every band there. This song live was so good I have yet to get it out of my mind. Absolutely MONSTROUS live.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Noah-Mazzola/583188963 Noah Mazzola

    I just got back from mayhem and they seriously upstaged every band there. This song live was so good I have yet to get it out of my mind. Absolutely MONSTROUS live.