Check Out the Title Track from Machine Head’s Catharsis
Machine Head’s new album, Catharsis, may very well end up being one of the most divisive metal releases of 2018. Robb Flynn warned fans that the record would be more melodic and less heavy than the group’s last four releases, and the lead single, “Beyond the Pale,” certainly bore that out. But now that the band has released the title track as well, I think fans should start to get a much clearer picture of what Catharsis will offer — and that’s diversity. Yes, it is, on the whole, a far more melodic, less-heavy album than most of the ones the band has put out this century. But it can’t be defined by any single style; other than saying “they’re more melodic and less heavy,” “Catharsis” and “Beyond the Pale” don’t have all that much in common. That’s par for the Catharsis course. The album has material that’s punky, it has material that’s alt-rock-ish, it has a folk song and a ballad and a track where Robb Flynn raps about his time as a drug dealer.
My point is, unlike, say, a Slayer record, where if you’ve heard one song off the album you’ve kinda heard ’em all, you really will not be able to pass judgment on Catharsis until you’ve heard the whole thing. So while you may be tempted to bitch about this isn’t Burn My Eyes Part 5 at the outset, you can’t. If you loved “Beyond the Pale,” you may not love “Catharsis.” If you hated “Beyond the Pale,” you may enjoy “Catharsis” more. Maybe you’ll dig both songs. Maybe you won’t dig either. You still really will not be able to pass judgment until you hear the entire thing. This may very well be Machine Head’s White Album.
Personally, I’m way more into “Catharsis” than I am “Beyond the Pale,” but I also think the best songs on the album have yet to be released. Just my two cents.
Check out “Catharsis” the song via the extremely cool music video below. Catharsis the album comes out January 26th via Nuclear Blast; pre-order here. Get Machine Head’s upcoming “Evening With” tour dates here. And listen to a special podcast interview with Flynn, conducted by Vince Neilstein and yours truly, here.
