Catharsis (Cassette)
Machine Head
Amoeba Review
09/07/2020
Over 25 years since their inception, Machine Head are still going strong. Billed as one of the earliest progenitors of groove metal, the thrash-indebted subgenre that spawned the success of Pantera and Sepultura, Machine Head have taken a lot of musical detours in their industrious career. There was the unashamed nu metal of The Burning Red as well as influences from the (unfortunately named) new wave of American heavy metal movement of the 2000s showing up in their more recent work. Catharsis fits all of the band puzzle pieces together on an album that almost functions as a stylistic retrospective, ranging from the Soulfly-meets-In Flames attack of “Volatile” to the Deftones-worthy chorus of the title track.