aaamusic | On 02, Dec 2014

With fans already comparing Bloodstone & Diamonds to The Blackening you know it’s going to be worth a listen…

…And there’s a lot to listen to. In classic Machine Head form, the album is a CD stretching epic of grizzly thrash metal. Bloodstone & Diamonds garnered a lot of publicity prior to release; with the album single ‘Now We Die’ leaking three weeks early. Though the band voiced their annoyance, with ‘furious’ frontman Robert Flynn calling the mistake ‘mindboggling’, Machine Head gained support from fans by embracing the error and releasing ‘Now We Die’ and ‘Killers And Kings’ early to YouTube via Nuclear Blast Records.

The leak incident showed the metal community that the band have accepted the new musical age, with Flynn describing how “The Internet is the speed of light nowadays, and you know, what? That’s a good thing.” It’s refreshing to see Machine Head embracing change where other artists have struggled – no Metallica we’ll never forget.

‘Now We Die’ is the frontrunner to the album and shows a willingness to pursue new direction from a band reworking old material, with Machine Head joining other heavy metal artists in utilising orchestral motifs throughout the album. The single benefits from the longer length track that the band is so keen on, taking the listener on a dynamic journey through all the facets of thrash.

The classical nuances run deeply through the album and are worked in with a thankfully minimalistic touch where everything else screams excess, from the dazzling pinch harmonics to Flynn’s towering vocals, which are showcased on tracks ‘Damage Inside’ and ‘Ghosts Will Haunt My Bones’. Bloodstone & Diamonds can definitely be seen as a vocal masterclass for any aspiring metal frontman, with Flynn forcing every note out with such ferocity as to match the crunching guitars, holding up every chorus even on the odd occasion when the lyricism weakens.

‘Sail To Black’ and ‘Game Over’ are standout tracks with both competing for fan favourite. The former initially resembles a Gregorian chant, which is progressively overlaid with acoustic guitars, atmospheric sound effects and vocals, before is twists itself into a menacing screaming mass of tremolo and double bass. ‘Game Over’ similarly works with powerful contrasts, cutting between a threatening riff and vocal combination, to a more traditional power metal track that focuses on the thunderous skillset that Machine Head loves to offer.

Bloodstone & Diamonds places Machine Head at the forefront of modern metal and is worthy of every metal fans attention.

Jon Horvath