MACHINE HEAD's ROBB FLYNN: 'I don't know if i'm gonna continue touring like this forever'
31-08-2022
In a new interview with Australia’s Heavy, MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn spoke about how he dealt with the downtime during the coronavirus pandemic. He said: “For me, the pandemic has been… I’ve enjoyed it probably more than I should say probably. I’ve been on the road since I was 19 years old. We’ve never gone on hiatus; I’ve never taken a break; it’s been 30-plus years non-stop. And whether it was forced or not, it’s killer to just have this time to slow down, not be on the road, not be cramming for the next record, not be looking for the next tour. We tour hard too — we do a minimum of 16 months behind any tour cycle. We’re doing three-hour shows. And there’s no letting up. It just doesn’t end. And then you go and write the next record — you just start writing again. And to just have this ability to disconnect from tons of bullshit — disconnect from being around other bands and just whatever — and just kind of dig into what we’re into and we’re doing and what we’re digging on, it was really inspiring, man, and it was really needed. I think I needed that. I didn’t realize how much I needed a break until I was having a break. And I was, like, ‘Jesus, I really enjoy this.'”
He continued: “I mean, it was tough not having the money coming in, but we had enough money to get through it, so it worked out. In a lot of ways, I could… I don’t know if I’m gonna continue touring like this forever. I really did enjoy the time off. Doing my ‘Happy Hour’ show on Facebook Live and then coming home on a Friday night and just drinking with my wife, it was cool. Maybe that’s what the future is — I don’t know. I mean, certainly not the immediate future, but it was the first time in my life that I ever thought, like, ‘Wow, maybe I could do something else and not stay on the road so much.”
MACHINE HEAD‘s tenth studio album, “Of Kingdom And Crown”, was released on August 26 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings. The follow-up to 2018’s “Catharsis”, “Of Kingdom And Crown” includes the three songs that were featured on last year’s “Arrows In Words From The Sky” single: “Become The Firestorm”, “Rotten” and “Arrows In Words From The Sky”. Much of the new MACHINE HEAD album was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/producer Zack Ohren.
‘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 2 main characters:
Character #1 Ares: (pronounced Aries), our main, who loses the love of his life (Amethyst) and goes on a murderous rampage against the vile sect responsible for her murder.
Character #2 Eros: (pronounced Arrows) the perpetrator, 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 2 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 #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 Aug 26th, with all vinyl formats arriving on Nov 25th.
ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN
MACHINE HEAD
Track Listing:
1. SLAUGHTER THE MARTYR
2. CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE
3. BECØME THE FIRESTØRM
4. ØVERDØSE
5. MY HANDS ARE EMPTY
6. UNHALLØWED
7. ASSIMILATE
8. KILL THY ENEMIES
9. NØ GØDS, NØ MASTERS
10. BLØØDSHØT
11. RØTTEN
12. TERMINUS
13. ARRØWS IN WØRDS FRØM THE SKY
ORDER MACHINE HEAD’S NEW ALBUM “ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN” AT THIS LOCATION.
Catch MACHINE HEAD on the road across Europe, starting in August. For ticket information, click AT THIS LOCATION.
Electric Happy Hour Live:August 31 – Glasgow @ Garage (SOLD OUT)
September 2 – Inverness @ IronworksSeptember 4 – Aberdeen @ Lemontree (SOLD OUT)
September 5 – Dundee @ Fat SamsSeptember 6 – Edinburgh @ Liquid Room (SOLD OUT)
Machine Head & Amon Amarth “Vikings & Lionhearts” Tour Dates:
SEPTEMBER
08th NOTTINGHAM, Arena
09th CARDIFF, Arena
10th LONDON, Wembley Arena
12th MANCHESTER, Arena
13th DUBLIN, 3 Arena
16th ZURICH, Hallenstadion
17th VIENNA, Stadthalle
18th KRAKOW, Tauron Arena
20th TALLINN, Saku Arena
21st HELSINKI, Ice Hall
23rd OSLO, Spektrum
24th STOCKHOLM, Hovet
26th COPENHAGEN, Forum Black Box
27th HAMBURG, Barclays Arena
28th FRANKFURT, Festhalle
30th OBERHAUSEN, König Pilsener Arena
OCTOBER
01st BERLIN, Velodrom
02nd AMSTERDAM, Afas Live
04th MILANO, Lorenzini District
06th BARCELONA, Sant Jordi
07th MADRID, Vistalegre
08th LA CORUNA, Coliseum
09th LISBON, Campo Pequeno
12th PARIS, Zenith
14th MUNICH, Olympiahalle
15th LEIPZIG, Arena
16th PRAGUE, Tipsport Arena
18th BUDAPEST, Barba Negra
20th ESCH SUR ALZETTE, Rockhal
21st BRUSSELS, Forest National
22nd STUTTGART, Schleyerhalle
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