San Francisco Bay Area metal titans MACHINE HEAD have dropped a new song, “Unhallowed”, along with an accompanying music video. The track is lifted from the band’s tenth studio album, “Øf Kingdøm and Crøwn“, which will be released on August 26 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings.
MACHINE HEAD vocalist/guitarist Robb Flynn states: “‘Unhallowed’: Chapter Six – ‘Of Kingdom And Crown’: Drowning in the deepest depression of his life, Eros is at a breaking point. Collecting heartaches, loss, and near psychotic isolation, ‘Unhallowed’ is the beginning of a powerful shift of our story. An introspective narrative starts the song lyrically, which is a collaborative effort written by myself, guitarist Wacław ‘Vogg’ Kiełtyka and bassist/backing vocalist Jared MacEachern and encapsulates the collective strength of this writing team. Anchored by an absolutely monstrous groove, the vocals melodically mirror the state of mind of Eros as he reels from the loss of his mother to a drug overdose and begins a slow downward spiral into madness. However, the culmination of the track infuses some much-needed light, but will it be enough?”
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“Øf Kingdøm and Crøwn” is a 13-track concept album set in a decimated futuristic wasteland where the sky is stained crimson red. The crux of the story is based on two main characters: the first and main character is Ares (pronounced Aries), who loses the love of his life (Amethyst) and goes on a murderous rampage against the vile sect responsible for her murder; the second character is the perpetrator Eros (pronounced Arrows), who loses his mother to a drug overdose and becomes radicalized in the aftermath. Eros goes off the deep end manifesting his own killing spree. The lyrics detail how their lives intertwine.
MACHINE HEAD founder Robb Flynn comments: “Thanks to my two teenage boys, my family has become obsessed with this awesome Japanese anime series called ‘Attack On Titan’. The album’s concept was loosely inspired by the series in the sense that in the storyline there is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ guy; both characters believe they’re doing the right thing as it applies to their being, but make no mistake, both are committing acts of pure atrocity and evil. The opening track ‘Slaughter The Martyr’ is basically our character No. 1’s origin story.”
The colossal concept comes with a list of equally colossal packaging for various physical formats including 16 different worldwide vinyl formats, deluxe vinyl box set (with bonus tracks), CDs (both old-school longbox and jewel box options), multi-color cassettes, and a limited-edition digipak with bonus tracks. CDs, digipak, cassettes, and all digital formats will be available on August 26, with all vinyl formats arriving on November 25.
“Of Kingdom And Crown” track listing:
1. Slaughter The Martyr
2. Choke On The Ashes Of Your Hate
3. Become The Firestorm
4. Overdose
5. My Hands Are Empty
6. Unhallowed
7. Assimilate
8. Kill Thy Enemies
9. No Gods, No Masters
10. Bloodshot
11. Rotten
12. Terminus
13. Arrows In Words From The Sky
Digipak CD bonus tracks:
14. Exteroception *
15. Arrows In Words From The Sky (acoustic)*
