The new issue of Metal Hammer magazine features an exclusive interview with Robb Flynn, in which the Machine Head mainman goes deep into his band’s new album Of Kingdom And Crown.
It’s the first concept album the band have released, centring around two characters, Ares and Eros. As Robb explains to Hammer: “Ares loses the love of his life, Amethyst, and goes on a murderous rampage against the perpetrators who killed her.
“Eros is the perpetrator, the one who killed Amethyst. He loses his mother to a drug overdose, and in his downward spiral, he becomes radicalised by this charismatic leader and he goes on his own murderous rampage. The lyrics detail how their lives intertwine.”
An intricate concept might be new to Machine Head, but the music will be familiar to fans of the Bay Area band – albeit with enough new twists to make things interesting. We asked Robb to talk us through Of Kingdom And Crown track by track…
Slaughter The Martyr
“This is Ares’ origin story. He’s just lost the love of his life and now his life is just utter, unfettered revenge. It’s the only thing on his mind. It’s an epic, 10-minute opener. Let’s fucking do this!”
Choke On The Ashes Of Your Hate
“It’s fast as fuck. It’s a rager. That song is just pure thrash. I just wanted to hear some pure Bay Area fucking thrash metal, just ripping your fucking face off, nonstop.”
Become The Firestorm
“When I wrote this, it was just so fucking pissed. I was so stoked on it. We’re already doing it at the Happy Hours. It’s a monster. People go crazy for that song.”
Overdose [interlude]/My Hands Are Empty
“To me, this feels like a classic Machine Head song. This is where Eros’ mother dies, so this is the beginning of his depression and his downward spiral.”
Unhallowed
“This is where Eros is in the depths of depression. It’s got some of Vogg’s riffs. It’s ground that we’ve never covered, that makes me super-happy.”
Assimilate [interlude]/Kill Thy Enemies
“I just wanted to have some classic, Bay Area chug. It’s all down-picking. You’ve got to dig your pick right in, to get that scrape on every single down-pick. That’s some Bay Area shit right there!”
No Gods, No Masters
“I wrote the chorus hook, and oh fuck, I was really stoked on that. I knew it was going to be an anthem, and every motherfucker in the room – in the arena – is going to be singing this shit.”
Bloodshot
“Bloodshot is another Vogg jam. He wrote some riffs and Jared wrote some riffs in this. That song’s going to be a rager. No singing at all. Just all heavy vocals, the whole time.”
Rotten
“It’s very caveman, very old-school Machine Head. That song has the same spirit as Burn My Eyes. It’s written from that same, simple perspective. It’s a punch in the face.”
Terminus [interlude]/Arrows In Words From The Sky
“I wrote this on my acoustic guitar, walking along the beach in Turks and Caicos, in the Caribbean. I wanted to write a song that people would want to sing along with me.”
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