Machine Head
Metro City, Perth
Monday 22 March 2010
Supports - Emmure / Bleeding Through / Hatebreed

'Twas a dark and really fucking stormy night ( sorry had to do it ) in Perth that punched holes in a thousand patios and gave many cars a golf ball-like texture and many Insurance Brokers nightmares [Editor’s note – Perth had hail the size of eggs falling everywhere and damaging cars beyond repair, breaking windows and more in the worst storms to hit in decades] - what a perfect night for some heavy-as-fuck metal in the form of the mighty Machine Head.

Considering the carnage that had ensued outside the venue, it was fortunate that the gig went ahead at all, although the earlier acts Emmure and Bleeding Through had their stage time cut to only 4 or 5 songs as the doors opened late due to some minor damage at Metro.

Hatebreed put in an intense 50 odd minutes of their brand of meat and potatoes Hardcore to an appreciative pit but wore a bit thin by the time they exited stage and the diehards who had braved the maelstrom and made it to Metro waited in anticipation for the main act.

Visiting Oz for the 3rd time in as many years on the back of their bona fide classic 2007 opus “The Blackening’ but this time playing a full length set, Machine Head blasted on stage with 10 minute long opener ‘Clenching the Fists of Dissent’ and didn't let up for 100 minutes plus of blistering power / thrash metal that cements their status as one of the finest exponents of heavy music in the known universe (OK, maybe just Earth).

The thunderous ‘Imperium’ followed with Rob Flynn showing us just how far he has come as a frontman and guitarist , duelling with the equally impressive Phil Demmell and backed up by the rock solid skin bashing of Dave McLain and the imposing menace of Adam Duce on Bass.

Older tracks ‘Take My Scars’, ‘Bite The Bullet’ and ‘Ten Ton Hammer’ bludgeoned the packed floor and had heads banging way beyond the pit and back past the Bar areas, interspersed with ‘Beautiful Mourning’, ‘Now I Lay Thee Down’ and Dimebag Darrel tribute ‘Aesthetics of Hate’ from “The Blackening”, all played with expert precision at ear splitting volume.

‘Old’, the closest thing to a ballad tonight, ‘The Burning Red’, ‘Seasons Wither’ and ‘Bulldozer’ rounded out the main set.

Exiting the stage for a breather, the chant of “Let Freedom Reign With a Shotgun Blast” (and the usual “Machine Fucking Head”) reverberated around the room, prompting Flynn to announce that 'you own that one Perth' on his return to the stage, before an awesome encore of ‘Halo’ followed by regular closer ‘Davidian’ from their first album “Burn My Eyes” finished off the almost perfect set at nearly 1 AM to a rousing send off by all in attendance.

After this Oz Tour the band are taking a break to work on their next album and if it gets anywhere near the masterpiece that is “The Blackening”, Machine Head could (and should) be the biggest Metal band in the world - with the punishing show they put on they truly deserve to reap the rewards. A truly memorable gig from a great band.

Set List
1. Clenching the Fists of Dissent
2. Imperium
3. Take My Scars
4. Bite The Bullet
5. Ten Ton Hammer
6. Now I Lay Thee Down
7. Beautiful Mourning
8. Aesthetics of Hate
9. Old
10.The Burning Red
11.Seasons Wither
12.Bulldozer
13.Struck A Nerve

Encore
14. Halo
15. Davidian

by Metal Billy
DM's out of 5!