[.ca] Supercharger

From Amazon.co.uk:
Machine Head's Supercharger is, at its best, a monumental success. Since their searing debut Burn My Eyes, Machine Head have continuously exhibited that sadly rare quality--musical ambition. Not for them the post-Bush bleatings of Creed or the dumb bulldozing of Limp Bizkit. Machine Head attempt to create ever more varied and meaningful rock soundscapes. Take "Trephination" for example: as Robb Flynn pants his desperate tale of childhood abuse and a consequent self-hatred that can only be cured by a drill to the skull, the guitars buzz like medical instruments before reaching an awful sawing crescendo. It could so easily be clumsy and silly, but the execution is tasteful and effective. Elsewhere, there's the semi-humorous "American High", where a scratcher duels with the lead guitar, and "Nausea" where a horribly distorted guitar engages in a series of deeply unsettling descents--as with "Trephination", the music cleverly and admirably mirrors the lyrics. Elsewhere, there are extraordinary individual performances. During "White Knuckle Blackout", Flynn passes from a Dani Filth shriek through Layne Staley melodics to a furious rap, backed by a mighty guitar and what sounds like the buzz of a printer. During the maudlin "All in Your Head", the guitars rise from staccato riffing to a magnificent, near-orchestral sweep. Unfortunately, these exciting innovations make Machine Head's lapses into bog-standard contemporary rock all the more disappointing. Nevertheless, they should be proud of an album that's three-quarters brilliant. --Dominic Wills

Very Good:
This is a solid album. It also contains the best machine head song ever written and performed--deafening silence. If that song doesn't move you, you've got a problem. God, the emotion... bulldozer, crashing..., all in your head, trephination are killer as well.

Superstinker:
I like 2 machine head albums, and their probly not the 2 you think. Burn My Eyes, and The Burning Red. The More Things Change is not a BAD album, but its pretty boring. I though Burn My Eyes was just an amazing peice of thrash metal, and The Burning Red had some wonderful melodic song work on it. I don't care what anyone says, the Buring Red Kicks Ass!! This album however, SUCKS HARD!!! Not a single good song on here. It doesnt even feel like machine head! I'm not a huge metal head anymore but every now and then i listen to some of my old sutff, and I recelty listend to all my machine head albums and was reminded about how TERRIBLE this album was! It just seems so rushed, and warted down! I was hoping It was a joke. I hear they have a new one now thats suposed to be fantastic, so i gota check that one out. But yea, if your just getting in to MH STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM THIS ONE!!

How is it possible that you don't like it?:
I've been a MH fan since the early beginning, back to 95 (94?) and the terrific burn my eyes. Saw them live a couple of times. Probably the best band live I ever saw (still remember the show they gave in France in 95, opening for Suicidal Tendencies, everyone was exhausted after their show and ST could have stayed at home, no one seemed interested! Amazing!!!). Really amazing. Rob is such an incredible frontman, whaouh!! I saw them on the supercharger european tour as well. And I just don't understand why so many people spit at this release. Is it forbidden for a band to elvolve a bit and propose something more personal? Why do people always compare one release with the previous releases of the band? Do you take time to listen to the lyrics? I do. I really find this album great, songs like deafening silence really move me. I am personally touched by the subjects of many of the songs. But maybe you don't have feelings. It's a pity. This album is really outstanding. I can't help myself just singing along even after so many years. A must-have. Do not listen to what these stupid teenagers say. Make your own opinion.

Choose your Side:
First of all, any MH fan who doesnt like this cd isnt a MH fan at all. Supercharger is another leaf that a very personal and intense band has turned over. 1. Declaration- No grade, this is where MH declares war on everyone. Blends great w/ the next track. 2. Bulldozer-5/5 An amazingly heavy song which conveys the true essence of what Machine Head truly is. 3. White Knuckle Blackout!-5/5 Another in your face track. Very intense and just like a white knuckle black out. I love the title. 4. Crashing Around You- 5/5 This song is Robb Flynn pouring out his emotions on paper. You can basically hear his inner demons singing to him. Awesome music, guitar, bass, everything. 5. Kick You When You're Down- 4.5/5 I like this song a lot, it shows that MH can also be a very positive band. Great opening to it and awesome inspiring lyrics. 6. Only The Names- 5/5 A song about the abyss you will fall into while using drugs. Sums up what will eventually (or not so eventually) happen to you. Really nice progression. 7. All in your Head- 4.5/5 The coolest part of this song is the extremely quick pased verses and the soaring chorus. MH keeps the music hard and heavy the whole way thru. 8. American High- 4.5/5 A song about Robb Flynn's earlier years in high school. Its actually a pretty catchy song. Machine Head are a bunch of awesome and innovative musicians. 9. Brown Nausea- A break in which you hear a weird guitar noise followed by some chokes and gags, its pretty cool. 10. Nausea- 5/5 Another great example of how powerful MH is. A really crunchy and groovy song. Cool lyrics about being tired of someone. 11. Blank Generation- 5/5 Very awesome song about how our generation hasnt done anything special. Trademark MH sound, heavy guitars, you have Robb rapping a bit at the end, but its still rad. 12. Trephination- 5/5 Deals w/ thoughts of suicide and feeling like a freak. Great song, I love everything about this song, guitars, drums, INTENSE vocals by Robb whoa... 13. Deafening Silence- 5/5 A ballad, but w/ a MH twist. Great song writing, has some pretty deep meaning to it. I really like this song. 14. Supercharger- 5/5 The finale, and MH aims to please w/ this one. Extremely in your face, balls to the wall assault from Ahrue and Robbs' guitars. Everything about this song is energy.

After Burning Red comes this!:
More songs, More ANthems, More Innovation. This was the album that got me into Machine Head. We got aggression anthems like Bulldozer, Schizophrenia anthems like "Crashing Around You" (caused Controversy after 9-11 however), hate anthems like "Nausea" (I wonder why they didn't play this live however,) A beautiful ballad which I LIKE, Deafening Silence, and of course, Life stories like my favorite song off the album AMERICAN HIGH! SO what if they went further into Nu-Metal? THEY STILL RULED!

• Declaration
• Bulldozer
• White Knuckle Blackout
• Crashing Around You
• Kick You When You're Down
• Only The Names
• All In Your Head
• American High
• Brown Acid
• Nausea
• Blank Generation
• Trephination
• Deafening Silence
• Supercharger