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In 2004, Machine Head released the album "Through The Ashes Of Empire," but it feels like going back ten years to when the legendary "Burn My Eyes" came out, the best expression of early 90s post-thrash.
After the disappointing attempts with "The Burning Red" and "Supercharger" where the band was seduced by the sound created by Korn, Deftones, etc., they finally understood that nu-metal is better left to those who know how to play it (namely the aforementioned names), and the result of this obvious reasoning is not bad at all, in fact, it's excellent!
Right from the start with "Imperium" we have the dirty and "heavy" sound that echoes the Slayer-esque model and early Metallica (the latter heavily influence the drum parts), and throughout the album, which satisfied me immensely! Among the best tracks of the album, we have "Alls Falls Down", "Bite The Bullet" and "Left unifisched" (although the latter still has some remnants of nu and a pleasant almost punk flow). Different from the rest of the album is the closing track "Descend The Shades Of Night" which somewhat reprises those alternative influences (Nirvana, Alice In Chains, etc.) that also characterized the second album "The More Things Change", but that are not at all displeasing!
Finally, after the disappointment of Metallica (the more I listen to it, the more I hate "St. Anger") and other thrash bands, Machine Head, who along with Pantera and Korn (and here I will be heavily criticized) saved the direction metal was taking in the 90s, just think of the two albums by the (legendary) Maiden with Blaze Bayley and the turnaround of Metallica ("Load" and "Reload", and partially the "Black Album"), have made a great comeback.
For me, Machine Head in 2004 are in great shape and I hope they continue like this.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Imperium (06:52)
Hear me now
Bearing down upon a path we choose
Chosen from the start living different rules
Existence something to cherish true
Will not succumb to doubts that I hold onto
Release the fear of my pain
In so much pain
Give me the will to fight
Every obstacle that I have inside
Release the fear and
Hear me now
Words I vow
No fucking regrets
Fuck these chains
No god damn slave
I will be different
I'll stand here defiantly
My middle finger raised
Fuck your prejudice
All my life
Always I've felt alone
Conditioned to believe that I'm always wrong
Only truth will help to set me free
My every weakness I must turn into strength
Every rage, every tear
Hate in so much hate
Never that pain will bind me
Ask of myself if I've the will to unwind
Every rage and tear
Hear me now
Words I vow
No fucking regrets
Fuck these chains
No god damn slave
I will be different
I'll stand here defiantly
My middle finger raised
Fuck your prejudice
Carved upon my stone
I will go on
Patience, belief
Love will ascend
Just listen to it
Voice so true inside calling
To pick you up and march you on
Keep from falling
Let go your sorrow
Sun will shine, this I promise
Rising tommorow
Rising
Hear me now
I'm taking back the control
Of my
Life from societies hold
I vow
No more will I be a slave
Rise to
Challenge the whole human race
My spirit you cannot break
04 Elegy (04:05)
Elegies are to be sung
Winds of armaggedon come
Ignorance within your bliss
Soon you will atone for this
In your carcinogenic haze
Baneful of a newer age
Flowers of a different scent
Poisons of the earths lament
A requiem
Earth belong not to you
Belong all we to her
Take another deeper breathe
Inhale invisible death
Pollution fills the land and sky
Forever you justify
Take a deeper look and see
Nothing's left to future seeds
Icicles melt into blood
Ashes where there once was wood
A requiem
Earth belong not to you
Belong all we to her
Pain of life has pulled you under
Left you there to bleed and wonder
Open heart left torn asunder
Wrong the wrongs that
You've been suffered
Kill we scream in roaring thunder
Destroy all, leave all things plundered
Acid rain cries her pain
Full bloom, a world gone insane
Her anger the flower
Plays god with all of our lives
A requiem
Earth belong not to you
Belong all we to her
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Other reviews
By Snegirev
Through The Ashes Of Empires is calculating rage and power, manic precision and dashed on squared rhythms, blood and rage gushing from the strings with tearing force.
An engaging and disturbing work, a vein of musical ink difficult to hide in continuous agitation, the worshipful exaltation of fury, and the burning wind, and the rage.
By Luca_Z87
"I was overwhelmed by the impressive power of 'Imperium'... one of the most devastating pieces ever written by Flynn and company."
"Through The Ashes Of Empires is a high-level album and a recommended purchase for all genre lovers."
