Let the swarm of Locusts begin!

 I'm very sad to say that my knowledge on groove metal heroes Machine Head is somewhat limited, having only heard a selection of big hits, including "Davidian", "Halo" and "Take My Scars" and owning only their 2003 release "Through the Ashes of Empires". Needless to say, though I could not be considered a fan at this stage, I find all I've heard by them to be fantastic works in aggression and brutality. And things are sounding just as good in their latest single "Locust". Lyrically, "Locust" is a track about those who pretend to be at one with you, and pretend to befriend you, only to take all you have and suck you dry before leaving again. A better explanation for the song comes in the words of guitarist Phil Demmel who states:

"Locust", is a concept I came up with, based on a few people I have encountered in my life, just like everybody has. The type of person that just comes into your life under a different guise, under false pretenses, to befriend you, be your buddy, be your man, be on your team, or, you know, to be your lover or whatever. Their goal is just to soak up all your resources and just to drain you of all you've got, whatever you have to offer. Once they're discovered, they fly off into the next crop and drain that of everything. Yeah, it just feels like hell."


 It is unsurprising that with such a hateful theme, the track is fueled by rage, as the band deliver a furious and pummeling performance, meaning they're on top form.
 "For now, "Locust" serves as an exciting preview of what to expect from their upcoming album "Unto the Locust" due for release on the 26th September, which yesterday had it's tracklisting revealed to the world.
Typical of Machine Head, the album has been reported to have no songs which are under six minutes long, with the opener "I am Hell (Sonata in C#)" to be split into three sections ("Sangre Sani"/ "I Am Hell"/ "Ashes To the Sky"). Maybe not so typical, then. Other tracks on the album include "Be Still and Know", "This is the End", "Darkness Within", "Pearls Before the Swine" and "Who We Are". Only seven tracks in total for the album, so this album is most likely to be filled with epic ten minute tracks of pure brutal metallic beauty.
 Once again, I've become incredibly excited for a new metal release.