UMUR "Bloodstone & Diamonds" is the 8th full-length studio album by US thrash/groove/alternative metal act Machine Head. The album was released through Nuclear Blast Entertainment in November 2014. There´s been a lineup change since "Unto the Locust (2011)" as bassist Adam Duce was fired in 2013 and has been replaced by Jared MacEachern on "Bloodstone & Diamonds". Duce last release with Machine Head was the "Machine Fucking Head Live (2012)" album. There´s another important change since the last release, as Machine Head has changed labels from Roadrunner Records to Nuclear Blast Entertainment, which makes "Bloodstone & Diamonds" the first Machine Head not to be released by the former mentioned label.

Musically "Bloodstone & Diamonds" is what I´d characterize as a natural progression of the band´s sound since "The Blackening (2007)". While "The Blackening (2007)" was more or less thrash metal to the bone with some alternative metal ideas, "Unto the Locust (2011)" showcased a more diverse groove thrash/alternative sound, and "Bloodstone & Diamonds" features a sound which is a development of the sound on it´s predecessor. Machine Head still excels in raw shouting vocals and a decent number of groove oriented thrashy riffs, but Robb Flynn also delivers both melodic tinged vocals in the choruses and some clean singing too. He isn´t the most distinct sounding vocalist when he sings clean vocals, and he doesn´t have the strongest voice for that type of vocals either, but all in all it works alright, and even grows on you after a couple of spins. I´m especially impressed by his vocal performances on "Sail Into the Black" and "Beneath the Silt".

"Bloodstone & Diamonds" is a relatively varied release and especially the three more atmospheric type tracks "Sail Into the Black", "Damage Inside", and "Imaginal Cells" (which is an instrumental featuring audio samples from the audiobook "Spontaneous Evolution" by Dr. Bruce Lipton and Steve Bhaerman), stand out as very different from the remaining thrash/groove metal oriented tracks on the album. They are important for the flow of the 12 track, 70:57 minutes long album though, as any album more than an hour long needs diversity to not lose the attention of the listener. The inclusion of strings on some tracks is another feature, which provides the album with variation. Some other standout tracks on the album are "Now We Die", "Killers & Kings", and the groovy almost stoner metal type track "Beneath the Silt", but the quality of the material is high throughout, with very few sub par moments, which is pretty impressive considering the length of the album.

The sound production, which is massive, detailed, and heavy, carries the tunes even when the autopilot is occasionally turned on. The moments when the melodies aren´t that memorable, and the riffs aren´t that catchy, are very few and far between though, and overall Machine Head have created yet another high quality release, featuring memorable and relatively adventurous tracks, high level musicianship, and a sound production which brings out the best in the material. "Bloodstone & Diamonds" deserves a 4.5 star (90%) rating.

Kingcrimsonprog In 2014, Nuclear Blast records released the eight full-length studio album by the now-legendary Bay Area based Heavy Metal band Machine Head, entitled Bloodstone & Diamonds.

It was their first without longtime bassist Adam Duce (a huge part of the band’s sound) and the first with new bassist Jared MacEachern. This line-up shift leaves frontman Robb Flynn as the sole original member. Luckily long-time drummer Dave McClain is still on board as he has been for everything except the debut, and Phil Demmel is still there as he has been for the last three exceptionally good albums, leaving a feeling of consistency and cushioning the blow of such a big loss.

Produced by bandleader Robb Flynn & Juan Urteaga, mixed by Colin Richardson (with additional work from Andy Sneap and Steve Lagudi); sonically, this is an exemplary record. The instruments are crystal clear, the mix is crushing and well balanced, and this only serves to highlight the superb, passionate performances and some of the best vocals in the band’s history. Its a real treat for the ears, as violins swirl warmly around and the gorgeously-recorded drum kit hammers proudly across the spectrum.

When I first got into the band, public opinion had turned on them, every magazine and website claimed they were on the way out, people spoke of them either with contempt or with rose tinted nostalgia and an “only Burn My Eyes was any good” historic revisionism. It nice to see how much the band’s star is on the rise now. Every album keeps getting better. They keep getting the recognition they deserve from critics. Live shows are full of adoring fans. This even ended up being, to date, the band’s highest charting record ever.

It deserves it. This is one stone-cold gem of an album. Almost flawless. There’s no filler, no weak songs, nothing out-of-place. The choruses are memorable. The solos are scorching. The fills are impressive and satisfying. The album is chocked full of riffs that sound like all eras of the band’s history and still move things forward to the future. There’s a bouncy scrappy Hardcore-influenced sound to “Game Over,” a haunting epic feeling to “Sail Into The Black,” a melancholy melodic feel to “Damage Inside” a big dirty sludgy sound to “Beneath The Silt” and more rampant Blackening-esque Thrashy aggression to the likes of “Killers & Kings” and “Eyes Of The Dead.” The titanic 71-minute record is full to the brim with all different sorts of ideas and directions but still feels like one cohesive whole.

The quality of the songwriting tips everything over the edge. Its not just immaculately produced, furiously performed and stylistically satisfying… but its also just plain brilliant in and of itself. It stands up remarkably well to repeat listens. All the little clever structuring decisions, neat flourishes and all the orchestral extras reveal themselves more and more with repeat listens. There’s an immense depth to this one. I’ve seen over half of it live in concert and it absolutely crushed and felt “right” beside stuff from all positions in the band’s discography. It felt incredible even without the lush production and the extra orchestral instruments. These are just brilliant songs, plain and simple.

It must have been difficult to live up to the impossibly high standards the band have been setting themselves for the last twelve-or-so years, but somehow Machine Head managed it, once again. This is an incredible record that will stand up well against any Machine Head record you care to name. Get yourself a copy if you haven’t already!