Ioana Nica takes a look at 20 of the best albums of 2014 - episode fourteen: Machine Head - Bloodstone & Diamonds

Warning: this is not a countdown. Not a Top 20.

Machine Head - Bloodstone and Diamonds

Machine Head has been constantly around since 1991, delivering good album after good album, never letting down and offering exactly what it’s expected from them. Plus more.

 The album is full of masterpieces which either bring back the strong violent sound of Burn My eyes like Killers and Kings, either come with the specific anger and strength of Machine Head sound, like Eyes of the Dead, Ghosts Will Haunt My Bones or Night of Long Knives. The soft sweet string opening of Now We Die announces some songs which are not necessarily heavy metal like Sail into the Black or Damage Inside, still powerful enough not to break the strongness of the record. The violent social message is not left out on this album either, in the end it’s all about “The true nature of human nature”.

A solid album which allows them to consistently move forward.

Once more, Machine Head know what they are doing.

MACHINE HEAD - Bloodstone and Diamonds (OFFICIAL ALBUM STREAM)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJKReRPG5tM

Tracklist

Now We Die   Flynn

Killers & Kings

Ghosts Will Haunt My Bones

Night of Long Knives

Sail into the Black 

Eyes of the Dead 

Beneath the Silt 

In Comes the Flood 

Damage Inside 

Game Over

Imaginary Cells

Take Me Through the Fire 

Personnel

Robb Flynn – lead vocals, guitar

Phil Demmel – guitar, backing vocals

Jared MacEachern – bass, backing vocals

Dave McClain – drums