| A live album capturing the brutal majesty of Oakland metal veterans Machine Head playing at London's Brixton Academy back in 2001, Hellalive provides a fine opportunity to take a look back at the career of one of heavy rock's most underappreciated acts. It's true, Machine Head have never quite been able to top their fantastic debut, 1994's Burn My Eyes--right here, totally blistering takes on the brooding heresy of "I'm Your God Now", the pogo-thrash of "Old" and the Ministry-style jackhammer nastiness of "Davidian" only confirm that to be the case. But there's plenty here to demonstrate why we shouldn't let Machine Head get lost under the pile of generic rap-rock acts. "The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears" carries the gruesome, thick heaviness of Pantera like a torch. And on "Crashing Around You", frontman Rob Flynn launches into a chilling spoken introduction that broadens its misanthropic edge into an anthem to the grey, dispossessed ranks of old-skool heavy-metal. "I used to think I was the only weirdo in the world that has thoughts like this," he ponders. "But now I know I'm not alone." Live albums are so often a hollow excuse to fleece money from obsessive fans. Roadrunner, however, do them with a little care and attention--see also Sepultura's Under a Pale Grey Sky--and Hellalive is no exception. --Louis Pattison |
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